Abstract: According to the present invention, a process for treating cultured cells is provided, which comprises the steps of: a) providing planar, two-dimensional objects (“flakes”), wherein these objects comprise a material which, upon application of an extrinsic stimulus, is transferred from the planar state into a rolled state, b) providing cells on said flakes, and c) transferring the flakes from the planar state into a rolled state by application of said extrinsic stimulus.

Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination system, a luminaire and a display-device (200) comprising the illumination system. The illumination system (100, 101) comprises a light emitting diode (D1, D2), a light exit window (105) and a luminescent layer (120) arranged between the light emitting diode and the light exit window. The light emitting diode emits light of a first primary color (72, 75). The luminescent layer is arranged between the light emitting diode and the light exit window for converting part of the light emitted by the light emitting diode into light of a second primary color. The luminescent layer comprises a garnet luminescent material comprising at least Lutetium, Cerium, Silicon and Nitrogen (73), or it comprises a combination of a garnet luminescent material comprising at least Lutetium and Cerium (70) and a garnet luminescent material comprising at least Cerium and at least one element of the group comprising Yttrium and Gadolinium (71, 74).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biotechnological device including a responsive hydrogel permeation layer with an intrinsic structural gradient.

Abstract: A method for forming a sealed cell structure is disclosed. The sealed cell structure comprises first (10) and second (12) substrates that are spaced apart by a plurality of partition walls (14). The partition walls define a plurality of cells (18, 19) between the first and second substrates. At least one of the substrates and the partition walls have a layer (16, 22, 30) of photo-embossing material on them. A latent image is written (112) onto the photo-embossing material, and then the image is developed, thereby causing expansion of the photo-embossing material in the areas (114) according to the pattern of the latent image. The expansion of the photo-embossing material causes the cells to be sealed apart from one another.

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-fluidic system, a method of manufacturing the micro-fluidic system and a method of controlling or manipulating a fluid flow through micro-channels of such a micro-fluidic system. The inner side of the wall of the micro-channel is provided with actuator elements. The actuator elements have composite structures. These actuator elements can change shape and orientation in response to an external stimulus. Through this change of shape and orientation, the flow of a fluid through a micro-channel may be controlled and manipulated.

Abstract: This invention provides a biosensor solid or hydrogel substrate comprising one or more temperature indicating agents, each of said one or more temperature indicating agents operating by changing its optical properties and being deposited in and/or at the surface of the biosensor solid or hydrogel substrate as one or more layers and/or spots

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a holographic film. The method includes a polymerizable composition that comprises monomers with high reactivity, monomers with low reactivity and a non-reactive material. The method comprises a patterned exposure to obtain a patterned polymerization of the monomers with high reactivity and a subsequent polymerization to polymerize also monomers with low reactivity to form a solid film. The method gives a holographic film with a high refractive index modulation and a modulated porosity.

Abstract: This invention relates to flexible structures (401) that respond to the application of an agent. Upon application of the agent, the flexible structure bends (402) in a predetermined fashion. The flexible structure is formed from a polymer liquid crystal that is orientated to define an upper surface layer and a lower surface layer having an essentially different molecule orientation, and the polymer liquid crystal is such that a length/width ration is changed upon application of the agent. Thereby, the upper and lower surface layers respond differently to the application of the agent, resulting in bending or un-bending of the flexible structure (401).

Abstract: A foil moveable by non-mechanical means, such as light or heat, comprises an alternating array of first and second foil sections each resiliently and non-mechanically moveable between a flattened state and a bent state. The direction in which the first foil sections bend, when moved from the flattened to the bent state, is opposite to the direction in which the second foil sections bend when moved from the flattened to the bent state. When, in the flattened state, non-mechanically stimulating the first and second foil sections in unison, the first and second foil sections bend in opposite directions causing the foil to wrinkle, which results in a movement which is substantially linear. Using a different or removing the non-mechanical stimulus, the foil sections can be made to unbend resulting in a flattening and expansion of the foil to its original shape.

Abstract: To improve automation, especially in 2D gel electrophoresis of proteins, DNA etc., a separation device (1) has a physically activatable means for releasing surfactant, eg. SDS, into the gel fr SDS-PAGE. In one embodiment, surfactant-bound polymer is photolytically cleaved; in another, a barrier layer (30) is melted/destroyed to allow surfactant from reservoir (20) to reach the separation area (10). The barrier layer may comprise a novolac.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light emitting device based on a Xe or Xe/Ne excimer discharge, e.g. a full colour display screen or a xenon excimer lamp, comprising a phosphor blend of a red-emitting Eu(III)-activated phosphor and an UVlight emitting phosphor. Full colour plasma display panels (PDPs) according to the present invention comprising a phosphor blend of a red-emitting Eu(III)-activated phosphor and an UV-light emitting phosphor for the red pixels show an improved colour point and a shorter decay time compared to the use of the respective single red emitting Eu(III) activated phosphor. Xenon excimer lamps for illumination purposes (e.g. for LCD backlighting or X-Ray image illumination) comprising a phosphor blend of a redemitting Eu(III) activated phosphor and an UV-light emitting phosphor show an improved colour rendering. The invention is also related to a phosphor blend of a red-emitting Eu(III)-activated phosphor and an UV-light emitting phosphor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for use in separation, especially isoelectric focusing employing “pH sink regions”, whereby the direction of change in pH is reversed.

Abstract: A liquid-filled container (1) comprises a first and a second sheet (3, 5) between which a thin film of liquid (7) is dispersed. Supporting members, (9), which extend from the first sheet to the second sheet, are covalently bonded to the first and the second sheet to make the container mechanically robust. In an advantageous embodiment, the thin film of liquid, the supporting members and the second sheet form, in combination, a stratified-phase-separated composite. The liquid-filled container is particularly suitable for use in a liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A micro-fluidic system comprises at least one micro-channel having a wall (14), a plurality of ciliary actuator elements (71) attached to said wall (14), said ciliary actuator elements (71) having an original shape when not subjected to a liquid, and means for applying stimuli to said plurality of ciliary actuator elements (71) so as to cause a change in their shape from an initial shape to an end shape. The ciliary actuator elements (71) are adapted to respond to the presence of a particular liquid by changing their original shape into the initial shape. The response to the presence of the particular liquid may be a curving of the original shape of the ciliary actuator element. Application of stimuli to the plurality of ciliary actuator elements provides a way to locally manipulate the flow of complex fluids in a micro-fluidic system.

Abstract: A flexible foil which is moveable by light includes a dye which is capable of changing shape when absorbing light of a predetermined wavelength. The dye is dispersed in the foil such that, near at least one major surface of the foil, the dye is anisotropically oriented. Transverse to the foil, the concentration and/or orientation of the dye changes in an asymmetric manner. The change in orientation and/or concentration is such that, when exposed to light of the predetermined wavelength, the flexible foil moves. When exposed the dye changes shape which change in shape causes a change in lateral dimension of the foil which change in lateral dimension is, due to the change in concentration and/or orientation of the dye, different at different locations with the foil. This causes the flexible foil to move or more particular bend.

Abstract: The invention relates to a micro-mechanical thermal structure for modulating a light beam and a method for manufacturing such a structure. The micro-mechanical structure comprises two layers of material with different thermal expansion coefficients in a first direction and a second direction respectively, in which the first direction is transverse to the second direction and the two layers comprise an oriented polymer and the director of the molecules of the oriented polymer of the first layer is transverse to the director of the molecules of the oriented polymer of the second layer. An array of such micro-mechanical structures may form a thermo-optical modulator for modulating light. The method comprises a step of providing a mold with an orientation-inducing layer to obtain a molecular orientation in a mono-meric state of liquid crystalline monomers and a step of fixing the molecular orientation by photo-polymerization.

Abstract: The invention relates to an edge-lit slab waveguide equipped with a slanted anisotropic holographic layer, which couples out linearly polarized light. The invention further relates a new slanted anisotropic holographic layer suitable for use on the waveguide according to the invention, to a method to prepare such layer, and devices comprising the waveguide according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate material for analyzing fluids which has first areas with a high porosity and second areas with a lower porosity.

Abstract: A foil moveable by non-mechanical means, such as light or heat, comprises an alternating array of first and second foil sections each resiliently and non-mechanically moveable between a flattened state and a bent state. The direction in which the first foil sections bend, when moved from the flattened to the bent state, is opposite to the direction in which the second foil sections bend when moved from the flattened to the bent state. When, in the flattened state, non-mechanically stimulating the first and second foil sections in unison, the first and second foil sections bend in opposite directions causing the foil to wrinkle, which results in a movement which is substantially linear. Using a different or removing the non-mechanical stimulus, the foil sections can be made to unbend resulting in a flattening and expansion of the foil to its original shape.

Abstract: A flexible foil which is moveable by means of light comprises a dye which is capable of changing shape when absorbing light of a predetermined wavelength. The dye is dispersed in the foil such that, near at least one major surface of the foil, the dye is anisotropically oriented. Transverse to the foil, the concentration and/or orientation of the dye changes in an asymmetric manner. The change in orientation and/or concentration is such that, when exposed to light of the predetermined wavelength, the flexible foil moves. When exposed the dye changes shape which change in shape causes a change in lateral dimension of the foil which change in lateral dimension is, due to the change in concentration and/or orientation of the dye, different at different locations with the foil. This causes the flexible foil to move or more particular bend. In a specific embodiment the movement is reversible.