Abstract: Method for manufacturing fluoro(hydro)carbon-substituted silicon or germanium quantum dots which comprises the steps of:—reacting a Zintl salt or intermetallic compound of post-transition metals or metalloids of silicon or germanium with a halogen-containing oxidizing agent to form halide-terminated silicon or germanium quantum dots,—reacting the halide-terminated silicon or germanium quantum dots with a fluoro(hydro)carbon agent selected from the group of metal-fluoro (hydro)carbon compounds of the formula MRq, wherein M is a metal selected from Group 1, 2, 4, 11, 12, 13, or 14 of the periodic table of elements, q is an integer which corresponds to the valence of the metal, and R is CFnHm-fluoro/hydro-carbon, wherein n is 1 or 2, m is 0 or 1, and the total of n and m is 2, wherein each R may be the same or different, metal-fluoro (hydro)carbon halide compounds of the formula NQaRp wherein N is a metal selected from Group 1, 2, 4, 11, 12, 13, or 14 of the periodic table of elements, Q is a halogen selected fr

Abstract: The present invention relates to a VHH which binds to a growth factor or is an antagonist for a growth factor, or binds to an implant.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe improved supercontinuum generation based upon alternating optical dispersion along a waveguide length that advantageously generates much more spectral bandwidth than possible with conventional, prior art techniques without losing coherence as well as supporting a larger range of pulse energies (i.e., for lower than conventionally allowed pulse energies or high pulse energies).

Abstract: A pneumatic stepper motor includes a housing, said housing accommodating at least part of: a rack or geared axle comprising a plurality of gear elements; and two pistons, each comprising at least two teeth, said pistons being arranged to cooperate with said rack or geared axle. The racks may either be straight or curved. The pistons are preferably double-acting pistons. A device includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of, such pneumatic stepper motor(s). The device may in particular be an MRI-compatible robotic system, more in particular for example an MRI-guided breast biopsy device.

Abstract: Method for treating a drop of liquid, including: placing a drop (D) of liquid on a support surface (S); applying a time-varying electric field to the drop (D), thus moving a contact line of the drop (D) hence suppressing contact line pinning; and evaporating at least part of the liquid from the drop (D) during the application of the alternating field.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a metal hollow fiber electrode, to a method of electrolyzing carbon dioxide in an aqueous electrochemical cell, to a method of converting carbon dioxide, to a method of preparing a metal hollow fiber, to a use of a metal hollow fiber electrode. The metal hollow fiber electrode comprises aggregated copper particles forming an interconnected three-dimensional porous structure, wherein said metal comprises copper.

Abstract: An apparatus for authenticating an optical key and an apparatus for generating a random number from an optical key are provided. The optical key is used for reliable authenticatability and the random number is stable when or after the optical key is exposed to an external influence such as, but not limited to, a physical or chemical stimulus including a different ambient condition, a mechanical stress, or chemical contact.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plurality of through-holes (132) in a layer of material by subjecting the layer to directional dry etching to provide through-holes (132) in the layer of material; For batch-wise production, the method comprises after a step of providing a layer of first material (220) on base material and before the step of directional dry etching, providing a plurality of holes at the central locations of pits (210), etching base material at the central locations of the pits (210) so as to form a cavity (280) with an aperture (281), depositing a second layer of material (240) on the base material in the cavity (280), and subjecting the second layer of material (240) in the cavity (280) to said step of directional dry etching using the aperture (281) as the opening (141) of a shadow mask.

Abstract: The invention is in the field of methods for preparing polymer films, and of such polymer films. The method involves phase separation and requires only aqueous solution, eliminating the need for organic solvents. The aqueous phase separation involves contacting a polymer solution comprising a trigger-responsive polymer with an aqueous coagulation solution in which the trigger-responsive polymer is not soluble.

Abstract: Gaseous molecules, such as H2, CO2 and CH4, can be separated using a hybrid organic-inorganic polyimide network membrane, wherein the polyimide contains bis-imide units of formula 1 (formula 1), wherein A represents an organic moiety having 2-22 carbon atoms; or corresponding tris-imide groups, wherein a nitrogen atom of two or more of said bis-imide units is linked to a group Q of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) group of formula 3 QmR(2n-m)Si2nO3n.xH2O 3 wherein Q is CpHq bound to a silicon atom, R is hydrogen, hydroxy or C1-C4 alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl or ammonioalkyl, bound to a silicon atom, m is from 2 up to 2n, n is from 2 up to 6, p=1 to 6; q=2(p?r) with r=0, 1, 2<p; and x is from 0 to 2n?1.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring an amount of superparamagnetic material in an object, the method including a) applying a magnetic field having a first component alternating with a first period to the object and a magnetic field strength lower than a magnetic field strength at which the superparamagnetic material is driven in saturation; b) measuring a first magnetic susceptibility of the object with a detection coil; c) applying a static second component to the magnetic field for a second period being equal or larger than the first period, the strength of the magnetic field during the second period is such that the superparamagnetic material is driven towards saturation; d) measuring a second magnetic susceptibility of the object with the detection coil during the application of the static second component; and e) determining the amount of superparamagnetic material from a difference between the measured first and second susceptibility of the object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for providing polymeric composites with bone forming, such as with osteogenic and/or osteoinductive and/or osteoconductive, properties. The present invention further relates to polymeric composites provided by the present method and the use of thereof for bone implants, or grafts, specifically the use thereof for orbital floor reconstruction. Specifically, the present invention relates to methods for providing a composite with bone forming properties, the method comprises the steps of: a) providing a liquid, or liquefied, polymeric composition of homopolymers or copolymers of 1,3-trimethylene carbonate (TMC); b) adding to said liquid, or liquefied, polymeric composition one or more agents with osteogenic and/or osteoinductive and/or osteoconductive properties thereby providing a dispersion of said agents in said liquid or liquefied polymeric composition; and c) crosslinking the product obtained, thereby providing a composite with bone forming properties.

Abstract: The invention is directed to biocompatible composite materials for medical applications such as tissue regeneration. In particular, the present invention is directed to biocompatible composite materials that may be used for the treatment of lost bone or bone defects. According to the invention there is provided an anhydrous biocompatible composite material comprising a biodegradable polymeric material and a granular synthetic material, wherein the polymeric material essentially consists of at least one block copolymer that comprises at least one hydrophilic block and at least one hydrophobic block.

Abstract: An apparatus for mass producing monodisperse microbubbles contains a microfluidic flow focusing device. The microfluidic flow focusing device includes a dispersed phase fluid supply channel having an outlet that discharges into a flow focusing junction, a continuous phase fluid supply channel having an outlet that discharges into the flow focusing junction, and a bubble formation channel having an inlet disposed at the flow focusing junction. The configuration of the flow focusing junction is such that, in operation, a flow of dispersed phase fluid discharging from the outlet of the dispersed phase fluid supply channel is engageable in co-flow by a focusing flow of continuous phase fluid discharging from the outlet of the at least one continuous phase fluid supply channel under formation of a gradually thinning jet of dispersed phase fluid that extends into the inlet of the bubble formation channel.

Abstract: An implantation system for treatment of a defective curvature of the spinal column comprises an elongated element, a first bone fixation element being fixedly attached to said elongated element, a second bone fixation element, and guiding structure through which the second bone fixation element is slidably and contactingly connected to the elongated element. The elongated element has bending resilience and/or torsional resilience for applying corrective force action to the spinal column. A special arrangement of the guiding structure provides automatical adjustment of the corrective force action in dependence of growth of the spinal column. The system allows for good flexibility of the spine and for a natural healthy growth of the spine, while it avoids re-operations and implant adjustments.

Abstract: A stamp for making a microarray of biomolecules, wherein the stamp has a stamp body having a stamping surface for stamping the biomolecules onto a substrate, a plurality of reservoirs for liquids having the biomolecules, wherein each of the reservoirs has a bottom wall and a plurality of channels extending between each of the bottom wall and the stamping surface, wherein each of the reservoirs and the channels has a macroporous hydrogel and wherein the stamping surface is provided with a hydrophobic coating.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an object, supporting a lipid bilayer, for use in tissue engineering including the steps of providing an object having a surface, treating the surface of the object with a plasma containing active oxygen to provide the surface of the object with reactive groups A, to provide the surface of the object with reactive groups A, covalently attaching a sterol group to the reactive groups A and contacting the object activated with sterol groups with a lipid solution to form a lipid bilayer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a VHH which binds to a growth factor or is an antagonist for a growth factor, or binds to an implant.

Abstract: A device for verifying at least one challenge-response pair includes a coherent light source configured to emit coherent light. A challenge creating device is configured to create an optical challenge to be sent to a physically unclonable function (PUF). A wavefront shaping device is configured to perform a verification based on an optical response from the physically unclonable function (PUF). A detector is configured to read out a result of the verification performed by the wavefront shaping device. A focusing device is configured to focus light exiting from the wavefront shaping device onto the detector for detection.

Abstract: The system includes a simple system for CD4 and CD8 counting in point-of-care HIV staging within resource poor countries. Unlike previous approaches, no sample preparation is required with the sample added directly to a chip containing dried reagents by capillary flow. A large area image cytometer consisting of an LED module is used to excite the fluorochromes PerCP and APC labeled targets and a monochrome CCD camera with a combination of two macro lenses captures images of 40 mm2 of blood (approximately 1 micro liter). CD4 and CD8-T-lymphocyte counts correlate well with those obtained by flow cytometry. The cytometer system described in the present invention provides an affordable and easy-to-use technique for use in remote locations.