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 relates to a road with at least one traffic lane for motorized vehicular traffic, to which road are added sound attenuating means which limit, at least for determined frequency ranges, the lateral emission of sound caused by traffic travelling over the road, and has the feature that a pattern of resonators placed in distributed manner is arranged at least locally over a chosen length along the traffic lane, which resonators each comprise an acoustically hard, non-absorbing resonance space placed under the surface and debouching in an orifice situated at least roughly at a level of the surface of a roadside edge adjacent to the traffic lane, which resonators have resonance frequencies lying in the range of the frequencies of the sound for attenuating, in particular frequencies around about 1 kHz.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a treatment of diabetes, a scaffold and a method of preparing a scaffold. In a first aspect, this object is met by providing a scaffold comprising beta cell aggregates, wherein the aggregates are distributed over the scaffold in a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single crystal nano-structure includes providing a device layer with a 100 structure on a substrate; providing a stress layer onto the device layer; patterning the stress layer along the 110 direction of the device layer; selectively removing parts of the stress layer to obtain exposed parts of the device layer; plane dependent etching of the exposed parts of the device layer to obtain an exposed 111 faces of the device layer; thermally oxidizing the exposed 111 face of the device layer and forming a lateral oxidation layer at an interface of the device layer and the stress layer; providing a mask layer onto the oxidized exposed 111 face of the device layer; removing remaining parts of the stress layer to obtain further exposed parts of the device layer; removing the mask layer; plane dependent etching of the further exposed parts of the device layer to form a single crystal nano-structure with a triangular shaped cross section, until a side of the triangular shaped cross section

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing of a microneedle array comprising the steps of selecting a soft production mold comprising a set of microscopic incisions defining geometry of the microneedles, said soft production mold being capable of providing the microneedle array integrated into a base plate; using a filler material for abundantly filling the microscopic incisions of the soft production mold thereby producing the microneedle array with pre-defined geometry integrated into the base plate; wherein for the filler material a water or alcohol based ceramic or polymer-ceramic slurry is selected. The invention further relates to a microneedle array, a composition comprising a microneedle array, a system for enabling transport of a substance through a barrier and a system for measuring an electric signal using an electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preserving a sensor in a container, said sensor comprising a sensing area of metallic or a semi-conducting material covered with molecules having a MW>100 Dalton, said molecules being bound to the material wherein at least the sensing area of the layer is kept submerged in a storage solution, said storage solution having a composition that consists for at least 80% by volume of at least one compound chosen from water, ethanol, triethylene glycol and isopropanol, with the provisios that if the concentration of ethanol is at least 80 vol. % of the storage solution ethanol is present in a concentration of no more than 93% by volume of the storage solution; if water is present, it is present in a concentration of less than 80% by volume of the storage solution. The invention also relates to a container containing a sensor and a storage solution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new approach to constructing cellular aggregates in vitro and their use in methods for producing 3D-tissue constructs in a modular way. In particular, the invention is directed to a method for in vitro producing a tissue construct comprising: a) combining living cells to form supracellular aggregates using spatial confinement; b) combining two or more of the supracellular aggregates in a mold or on a biomaterial; c) applying conditions that induce self-assembly within the combined supracellular aggregates to obtain the tissue construct; and d) applying conditions that induce tissue morphogenesis in the tissue construct.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical device, comprising an optical fiber and a cantilever that is arranged on an end of the optical fiber; The cantilever may be an integral part of the optical fiber, and may have a length that is substantially equal to a diameter of the optical fiber. Measurement means for measuring a displacement of the cantilever are connected to an opposite end of the, optical fiber. A method of measuring a displacement using the optical device comprises the steps of: —arranging measurement means, comprising a light source, on an opposite end of the optical fiber; —using the light source to send a beam of light into the optical fiber; —measuring the interference of light that is reflected on the end op the optical fiber and light that is reflected on the cantilever; and determining the displacement of the cantilever relative to an intermediate position dependent on the measured interference.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scanning probe microscope comprising: a specimen holder holding a specimen; and a probe for scanning the relief of the upper surface of the specimen, which probe is movable in a vertical direction and two orthogonal horizontal directions, wherein the upper surface of the specimen is tilted relative to at least one of the two orthogonal horizontal directions.

Abstract: A thermoacoustic imaging apparatus comprises an electromagnetic radiation source configured to irradiate a sample area and an acoustic signal detection probe arrangement for detecting acoustic signals. A radiation responsive acoustic signal generator is added outside the sample area. The detection probe arrangement detects both signals generated in a sample area in response to the irradiation and an acoustic signal from the radiation responsive acoustic signal generator that has traveled through the sample area. A computing system distinguishes first acoustic signal detections attributed to the acoustic signal generated by the radiation responsive acoustic signal generator and second acoustic signal detections attributed to the acoustic signals generated by the sample area. The computing system performs a tomographic computation of an acoustic transmission parameter as a function of a position in the sample area from the first acoustic signal detections.

Abstract: A motion tracking system for tracking an object composed of object parts in a three-dimensional space. The system comprises a number of magnetic field transmitters; a number of field receivers for receiving the magnetic fields of the field transmitters; a number of inertial measurement units for recording a linear acceleration; a number of angular velocity transducers for recording angular velocities. The system further comprises a processor for controlling the transmitters and receiving signals coming from the field receivers and the inertial measurement unit; which processor contains a module for deriving orientation and/or position information of the constituent object parts of the object on the basis of the received signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for providing shaped biodegradable and elastomeric structures of (co)polymers of 1,3trimethylene carbonate (TMC) with improved (mechanical) properties which can be used for tissue or tissue component support, generation or regeneration. Such shaped biodegradable elastomeric structures are obtainable by forming homopolymers and/or copolymers of 1,3-trimethylene carbonate (TMC) into a desired shape and irradiating said desired shape with actinic radiation in an inert atmosphere.

Abstract: Polarization-diverse optical devices and related methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, these devices and methods are realized by utilizing a four-port, wavelength-dependent optical coupler that is arranged to receive identical counter-propagating optical signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical device, comprising an optical fiber and a cantilever that is arranged on an end of the optical fiber; The cantilever may be an integral part of the optical fiber, and may have a length that is substantially equal to a diameter of the optical fiber. Measurement means for measuring a displacement of the cantilever are connected to an opposite end of the, optical fiber. A method of measuring a displacement using the optical device comprises the steps of: —arranging measurement means, comprising a light source, on an opposite end of the optical fiber; —using the light source to send a beam of light into the optical fiber; —measuring the interference of light that is reflected on the end op the optical fiber and light that is reflected on the cantilever; and determining the displacement of the cantilever relative to an intermediate position dependent on the measured interference.

Abstract: In an integrated optical lightguide device including a light-transmitting core layer, an inclusion or buffer layer, and an active or cladding layer. The cladding layer is divided into segments. Groups of different segments exhibit different refractive indices, light intensity profiles or different degrees of sensitivity which have been effected by different methods. Thus, repeated adjustable or controllable transmission has resulted in an extremely sensitive waveguide system for a sensor, a modulator, or a spectrophotometer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated and recombinant antimicrobial peptides thrombocidin-1 (TC-1) and thrombocidin-2 (TC-2), or variants thereof, which comprise at least in part the sequence as shown in FIG. 1 indicated by the label TC-1 and TC-2, and have antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, for example Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermis, and Staphylococcus aureus, and/or against fungi, for example Candida albicans, C. glabarata, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, and Pseudoallescheria spec. The invention further relates to the use of said peptides, or variants thereof, for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of bacterial or fungal infections, such as endocarditis, in humans and animals and the use of said peptides, or variants thereof, in release systems for prevention of bacterial or fungal infections in humans and animals.

Abstract: A device for separating liquid and/or gas components from each other, which device includes a ceramic membrane comprising a porous layer of &ggr;-alumina which is present on top of a porous layer of supporting material, wherein an alkali-free, phosphorous material is provided between said supporting material and said layer of &ggr;-alumina, and wherein said material preferably consists of monoaluminium phosphate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for controlling a liquid flow in a liquid channel, comprising: an elongate liquid holder in which a liquid channel is provided in longitudinal direction; first voltage means for applying a first voltage difference over substantially the longitudinal direction of the liquid channel; a conductor member arranged in at least a part of the liquid channel against the liquid holder; an insulator member arranged in the liquid channel against at least the conductor member; second voltage means for providing a second voltage difference between the conductor member and the liquid in the liquid channel; wherein the thickness of the insulator member is a maximum of 1 &mgr;m and preferably in the order of magnitude of some tens of nanometres.

Abstract: A device for moving a first object relative to a second object, which device comprises a first part, which can be fixed to the first object, and a second part, which can be fixed to the second object. The first part comprises an elongated portion, along which the second part can move, which second part is provided with a clamping member, which is capable of clampingly engaging the elongated portion. The clamping member comprises shape memory metal, which gives the clamping member a clamping shape or a releasing (non-clamping) shape, depending on the temperature of the shape memory metal. The device may be suitable for being implanted into a human or animal body, whereby the first object is a first bone portion and the second object is a second bone portion, which bone portions are to be moved relative to each other.

Abstract: The invention provide biodegradable copolymers of the copoly(ester-amide) or copoly(ester-urethane) type, which copolymers consist of building blocks with the general structure (I): [CB-VB] wherein CB and VB of different building blocks may be the same or different, and CB represents a block with a constant length and VB represents a block with a variable length.