age, thermostat temperature, and capillary dimensions. It is not possible to enter the chemical characteristics of an analyte, such as its pKa, and simulate migration as a function of buffer composition. Approximately one hour after installing the software, I felt at ease moving between the Buffer Workshop and the four major menus of CZEA. Within the Buffer Workshop, I composed a specific sodium borate solution and pasted it into the Settings menu's Buffers List. Next, I entered the Capillaries List, located within the Settings menu, and added user-defined capillary data along with an Estimate of the Biot number for a fan-cooled capillary system. The relationships between voltage, current, and thermostat temperature for this capillary and buffer, as portrayed within the Parameters menu, were consistent with experimentally observed results. After exploring the various facets of CZEA for many hours, I noted some areas in which the program might be improved. For example, the printed manual that supports Version 1.3 of CZEA is less informative about experimental design and less user-friendly about software installation than the manual that accompanied Version 1.1. Within the separations screen (Separations menu), I noted that when examining a two-component mixture in which the migration times, in Initial Settings, differed by a significant amount (e.g., 3 and 30 min) and the Simulation Parameters included a higher voltage and thermostat temperature than initial conditions, the faster migrating peak of the simulated electropherogram could appear off thetimeaxis. In my opinion, CZEA, like similar types of modeling software, is primarily a learning tool and secondarily a methods development tool. CZE Assistant for Windows is a remarkable tool for gaining a fundamental understanding of several important parameters (notably, thermal effects) that help define CZE performance. Teachers
and students involved in the study of CZE NT 4.0. User interface functions include will appreciate this user-friendly and infor- peak and baseline detection options, analmative software. This program is also a ysis of multiple peaks, integration marker valuable tool in the methods development options, negative peak detection for process, particularly when buffer tempera- HTGPC, automatic reporting of plate ture within the capillary is a critical factor counts, and report generation. It supports in the analysis. AIA format data for collection and reanalyReviewed by Robert L. St. Claire, III, sis of data from multiple systems. GlaxoWellcome, Research Triangle Park, NC Un-Scan-lt
SOFTWARE RELEASED Design-Expert Stat-Ease Corp. 2021 East Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55413 612-378-9449; fax 612-378-2152; www.statease.com Version 5; $995
Silk Scientific P.O. Box 533 Orem, UT 84059 801-377-6978; fax 801-378-5474; www.silkscientific.com $450
Un-Scan-lt software uses a scanner to convert scanned graphs and gels into digital data. It works with any full-page or hand scanner to automatically determine (x,y) point locations, peak heights, band densiDesign-Expert includes a numerical optimi- ties, band locations, molecular weight values, and odier graphical and gel paramezation function that finds maximum desirters. Data can be stored in ASCII format ability for multiple responses simultafor use with other software programs. neously and offers real-time rotatable 3-D Windows and Macintosh versions are plots for visualizing response surfaces. Inavailable. teractive 2-D graphics allow users to explore plot contours, clicking to set flags that display coordinate and predicted responses. WinSpin System requirements include a PC with a InfoMetrix 486 or higher processor running Windows P.O. Box 1528 3.1, Windows for Work Groups 3.11, Win17270 Wood-Rad Rd., NE, #777 dows 95, or Windows NT 4.0 with 8 MB or Woodinville, WA 98072 RAM (16 MB for Windows NT) and 6 MB 206-402-1450; fax 206-402-1040; of free hard disk space. www. infometrix. com $99.95 (introductory price, $49.95)
PL Caliber WinSpin graphics package offers freespinning 3-D plot rotations, 2-D x,y plots, multiplots, and multicurve line plots for data visualization. Compatible data types include ASCII, Lotus, Excel, Infometrix binary, and various analytical instrument file formats. An intuitive objects manager PL Caliber GPC/SEC software runs under allows multiple views of data in a single session. Windows 3.1, Windows 95, or Windows Polymer Laboratories Essex Rd., Church Stretton Shropshire SY6 6AX, U.K. 44-1694-723581; fax 44-1694-722171; www.polymerlabs. com Version 7.0; Price varies by system
Analytical Chemistry News & Features, January 1, 1997 37 A
