Abstract: The invention concerns composite nanospheres having a diameter ranging between about 50 and 1000 nm plus or minus 5%, preferably between about 100 and 500 nm plus or minus 5% and advantageously between 100 and 200 nm plus or minus 5%, and comprising an essentially liquid core consisting of an organic phase and inorganic nanoparticles, distributed inside the organic phase, and a skin consisting of at least a hydrophilic polymer derived from the polymerisation of at least one water soluble monomer, in particular N-alkylacrylamide or a N-N-dialkylacrylamide; conjugates derived from said nanospheres; their preparation methods and their uses.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for the identification of compounds which bind to a target component of a biochemical system or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of: a) compartmentalising the compounds into microcapsules together with the target, such that only a subset of the repertoire is represented in multiple copies in any one microcapsule; and b) identifying the compound which binds to or modulates the activity of the target; wherein at least one step is performed under microfluidic control. The invention enables the screening of large repertoires of molecules which can serve as leads for drug development.

Abstract: A collection of colloidal particles in the form of one or several chains, in which the chains are generated in an irreversible manner and have at least one recognition site for a species, the site being different from sites implicated in the linear organisation of the particles. The invention further relates to a method for production of the collection, particularly for detection and/or dosage of at least one species in a fluid and a surface element functionalised by a collection of colloidal chains and a hybridisation network including such a surface element.

Abstract: The invention concerns composite nanospheres having a diameter ranging between about 50 and 1000 nm plus or minus 5%, preferably between about 100 and 500 nm plus or minus 5% and advantageously between 100 and 200 nm plus or minus 5%, and comprising an essentially liquid core consisting of an organic phase and inorganic nanoparticles, distributed inside the organic phase, and a skin consisting of at least a hydrophilic polymer derived from the polymerisation of at least one water soluble monomer, in particular N-alkylacrylamide or a N-N-dialkylacrylamide; conjugates derived from said nanospheres; their preparation methods and their uses.

Abstract: The invention concerns composite nanospheres having a diameter ranging between about 50 and 1000 nm plus or minus 5%, preferably between about 100 and 500 nm plus or minus 5% and advantageously between 100 and 200 nm plus or minus 5%, and comprising an essentially liquid core consisting of an organic phase and inorganic nanoparticles, distributed inside the organic phase, and a skin consisting of at least a hydrophilic polymer derived from the polymerisation of at least one water soluble monomer, in particular N-alkylacrylamide or a N—N-dialkylacrylamide; conjugates derived from said nanospheres; their preparation methods and their uses.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for detecting and/or quantifying at least an analyte in a liquid medium, characterized in that it consists in using magnetic colloidal particles functionalized at the surface with at least a ligand specific of the analyte to be detected and/or assayed and in that it comprises: contacting said particles with said medium to be analyzed; applying a magnetic field to said medium, at an intensity sufficient to cause said magnetic particles to be structured in the form of chains; maintaining said magnetic field for a sufficient time interval to enable coupling or combination of the analyte concerned with at least two specific ligands present respectively on two neighbouring particles of a chain; cancelling the magnetic field, and determining the presence and/or absence of said analyte and, as the case may be, its concentration via the presence and/or the absence of said permanent chains of magnetic particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to composite particles comprising a hydrophobic polymer core and inorganic nanoparticles. Said hydrophobic polymer forms a polymer matrix inside which the inorganic nanoparticles are stabilised and distributed in a relatively homogenous manner. Said particles are at least partially surrounded by an amphiphilic copolymer comprising a hydrophobic part and a hydrophilic part, said hydrophobic part being at least partially immobilised in the polymer matrix. The invention also relates to the preparation method thereof, the conjugates comprising such particles and a ligand and the use of same in reactants and therapeutic compositions.

Abstract: A method for the controlled release of an active principle contained in a multiple water-in-oil-in-water emulsion characterized in that the multiple emulsion comprises an invert emulsion Ei with an aqueous phase A1 containing at least a hydrophilic active principle. The emulsion Ei is dispersed in the form of direct emulsion droplets Ed, in a continuous aqueous phase A2, with the two emulsions Ed and Ei stabilized by at least a surfactant, present in their respective continuous phases. The multiple emulsion is brought in the presence of an effective amount of an agent for transforming it into a direct emulsion and induce the release of the active principle, contained in the aqueous phase A1 of emulsion Ei, in the aqueous phase A2.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for separating particles or molecules whereby these particles or molecules are introduced in a separating medium and a moving force is applied to them in said medium. The method is characterised in that the separating medium is a ferrofluid, i.e. a colloidal suspension of magnetic particles and a magnetic field is applied to this ferrofluid generating therein at least an alternation of a zone rich in magnetic particles and a zone poor in magnetic particles, part at least of the region of the ferrofluid in which this alternation is generated is passed through by the particles or molecules to be separated during their migration.

Abstract: A process provides a stable emulsion, in particularly a stable, concentrated bitumen emulsion, by emulsifying a first hydrophobic or hydrophilic phase having a viscosity between 1 and 5000 Pa.s with a second phase immiscible in the first phase, in the presence of at least one surfactant, by mixing together the first phase, second phase, and surfactant under a laminar shear regime.

Abstract: Water-redispersible granules including at least one active material in the form of a hydrophobic liquid, at least one non-ionic surfactant selected from polyoxyalkylene derivatives, and at least one water-soluble compound selected from polyelectrolytes belonging to the weak polyacid family are disclosed. A method for preparing such granules by preparing an aqueous emulsion of at least one active material, at least one non-ionic surfactant and at least one water-soluble compound, and drying the resulting emulsion, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of aqueous dispersions of magnetizable polymer particles with a narrow distribution from aqueous dispersions with a wide distribution. The amount of water in the aqueous dispersion with a wide distribution is adjusted so that the proportion by weight of magnetizable polymer particles is between about 1 and 40% of said dispersion. The surfactant concentration of the dispersion after the water adjustment is increased until two phases are obtained: a so-called liquid phase and a so-called solid phase. After separation of these two phases is accomplished, these steps are repeated as desired. An aqueous dispersion with a narrow size distribution is recovered.