Abstract: A polymer foam is produced comprising a polymer and nanoparticles having a maximum dimension of 750 nm, which foam has cells with an average cell size of at most 1 ?m and a cell density of at least 1012 cells/ml, wherein polymeric grafts have been attached to the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be particles with a solid core or porous hollow core-shell particles. The foam can be manufactured by dispersing the nanoparticles in a polymer to yield a dispersion; by adding a blowing agent to the dispersion to obtain an expandable mixture; and by foaming the expandable mixture to obtain the polymer foam.

Abstract: A filtration module is disclosed, comprising at least one hollow capillary filtration membrane, in particular having a retentate side inside the hollow capillary and a permeate side outside the capillary, characterized in that the retentate side of the capillary filtration membrane has at least one dent with an aperture angle ? smaller than 180°. A method to apply a filtration module according to the invention is disclosed characterized in that release of a cake layer formed at the retention side of the membrane is enforced, as well as further disrupture and disintegration of the cake layer, by applying a backwash cycle with a reverse flow at a backwash pressure lower than the maximum trans membrane pressure during a forward filtration step of a process liquid.

Abstract: A system for analysis of a fluid, comprises a light source for radiating a beam of light an optical path for guiding at least part of the beam of light, a fluidic channel for guiding the fluid along the optical path, and a detector for detecting an optical characteristic of the light having propagated along the optical path. The optical path comprises a multimode interference structure, the multimode interference structure being arranged for providing a propagation of the beam of light in at least two propagation modes, the detector being positioned so as to receive light from each of the at least two propagation modes.

Abstract: A method for detecting an analyte in a fluid sample is disclosed. The method comprises: a) providing a measurement region and a reference region, the measurement region being provided with a receptor for binding the analyte; b) providing at least one light beam so as to travel along the measurement region and along the reference region; c) providing the fluid sample into at least the measurement region; d) detecting by means of a detector an optical pattern provided by the at least one light beam after having travelled along the measurement region and the reference region; and e) deriving a presence of the analyte in the fluid sample from the detected optical pattern, wherein prior to c) a blocking fluid is provided along the measurement region and along the reference region.

Abstract: A system for analysis of a fluid, comprises a light source for radiating a beam of light an optical path for guiding at least part of the beam of light, a fluidic channel for guiding the fluid along the optical path, and a detector for detecting an optical characteristic of the light having propagated along the optical path. The optical path comprises a multimode interference structure, the multimode interference structure being arranged for providing a propagation of the beam of light in at least two propagation modes, the detector being positioned so as to receive light from each of the at least two propagation modes.