Abstract: A wire saw apparatus 1 executes cut-machining by pressing a workpiece W against a cutting wire 3 spirally wound around multiple wire guides 2, while running the cutting wire 3 and simultaneously swinging the wire guides 2 as well as the cutting wire 3. The wire saw apparatus 1 includes a controller 8 controlling a position of a workpiece holder 51 for holding the workpiece W. The position is controlled depending on a swing angle of the cutting wire 3 so that machined portion of the workpiece W is shaped into an arc.

Abstract: An implant material includes: a base material 10; and a carbonaceous film 20 provided on a surface of the base material 10. The carbonaceous film 20 includes carbon atoms, oxygen atoms, and nitrogen atoms in a surface thereof, and the carbon atoms are bonded to the oxygen atoms to form carboxyl carbon and carbon having a single bond with oxygen. In the surface of the carbonaceous film 20, a content of nitrogen atoms is greater than or equal to 8.0 at. %, a content of carbon having a single bond with oxygen is greater than or equal to 5.4%, and a content of carboxyl carbon is less than or equal to 3.1%.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an implant material includes preparing a base material for implant, removing moisture from a chamber in which the base material is placed, and introducing material gas as a carbon source and a silicon source into the chamber after the removal of the moisture to form a carbon thin film containing a C—C component in which carbon atoms are bonded, and a SiC component in which carbon and silicon atoms are bonded on a surface of the base material by ionized deposition.

Abstract: A method of making a stent, including preparing a solution containing a composition, the composition comprising a biodegradable polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor of a kind, including argatroban, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight compositional ratio of the polymer to the vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 3:7, the composition dissolved in a solvent selected from the group consisting of a mixture of a lower alkyl ketone and methanol, a mixture of a lower alkyl ester and methanol or a mixture of a lower halogenated hydrocarbon and methanol; coating at least an outer surface of a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces with a diamond-like thin film coated on the surfaces; and after the coating, removing the solvent to complete a first coated layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of cutting a workpiece efficiently with high accuracy by utilizing tension adjusters to approximate tension in a wire in a wire saw to a predetermined target tension while effectively reducing only tension in a winder-side wire. The method comprises a forward-driven cutting step of cutting a workpiece while moving a wire forward, a first switching step of reversing a driving direction of the wire, a backward-driven cutting step of cutting the workpiece while moving the wire backward, and a second switching step of reversing a driving direction of the wire and returning to the forward-driven cutting step, the steps being repeated in this order. In both switching steps, only tension in a winder-side wire is reduced by tension manipulators. A reduction in target wire tension therefor is performed after completion of deceleration of the wire in each switching step.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting vascular intimal hyperplasia including: placing a stent within a blood vessel, the stent having a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces with a diamond-like thin film coated on the surfaces, a first coated layer coating at least the outer surface of the stent body, the first coated layer being prepared of a first composition comprising a biodegradable polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor of a kind, comprising argatroban, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight composition ratio of the polymer to the vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 7:3, and a second coated layer; and causing argatroban to be released from the stent to thereby inhibit the vascular intimal hyperplasia without inhibiting proliferation of endothelial cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wire saw which cuts a workpiece using a cutting wire and is capable of adjusting wire tension with high responsiveness. The wire saw includes first and second workpiece cutting units 1A and 1B. Each of the workpiece cutting units 1A and 1B includes a pair of guide rollers 10a and 10b around which a wire W is wound to form a workpiece-cutting wire group. The wire saw further includes a tension detector 18 which detects tension in the wire W between the workpiece cutting units 1A and 1B, and a control device 50. The control device 50 changes a rotational speed of the guide rollers 10a and 10b of at least one of the workpiece cutting units based on the tension detected by the tension detector 18 so as to keep the tension within an acceptable range.

Abstract: A stent includes a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces, a first coated layer coating at least the outer surface, and a second coated layer coating substantially completely over the first coated layer. The first coated layer is prepared of a first composition comprising a polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor (preferably argatroban) of a kind, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight compositional ratio of the polymer to the inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 3:7. On the other hand, the second coated layer is prepared of a polymer alone or a second composition comprising a polymer and a drug, the weight compositional ratio of the drug to 80% by weight of the polymer being less than 20% by weight.

Abstract: A plasma generation system and related method for generating plasma in a cavity of a narrow tube, the system including: a first electrode including a conductive member covered with an insulator or dielectric, the first electrode being inserted into the cavity of the narrow tube to generate the plasma; a power supply to apply an alternating voltage or pulse voltage to the first electrode; and a second electrode located outside the narrow tube and connected to the power supply, the power supply applying the alternating voltage or pulse voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the conductive member is made of a wire, a portion of the narrow tube is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the second electrode is arranged and shaped so that a discharge is unevenly performed in a circumferential direction of the first electrode.

Abstract: A method of making a stent, including preparing a solution containing a composition, the composition comprising a biodegradable polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor of a kind, including argatroban, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight compositional ratio of the polymer to the vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 3:7, the composition dissolved in a solvent selected from the group consisting of a mixture of a lower alkyl ketone and methanol, a mixture of a lower alkyl ester and methanol or a mixture of a lower halogenated hydrocarbon and methanol; coating at least an outer surface of a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces with a diamond-like thin film coated on the surfaces; and after the coating, removing the solvent to complete a first coated layer.

Abstract: A stent includes a tubular stent body 11, a diamond-like carbon film 12 formed on the surface of the stent body 11 and having an activated surface, and a polymer layer 13 immobilized on the surface of the diamond-like carbon film. The polymer layer 13 contains a drug 14 having an effect to prevent restenosis, and the drug 14 is gradually released from the polymer layer 13.

Abstract: A stent includes a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces, a first coated layer coating at least the outer surface, and a second coated layer coating substantially completely over the first coated layer. The first coated layer is prepared of a first composition comprising a polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor (preferably argatroban) of a kind, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight compositional ratio of the polymer to the inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 3:7. On the other hand, the second coated layer is prepared of a polymer alone or a second composition comprising a polymer and a drug, the weight compositional ratio of the drug to 80% by weight of the polymer being less than 20% by weight.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting vascular intimal hyperplasia including: placing a stent within a blood vessel, the stent having a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces with a diamond-like thin film coated on the surfaces, a first coated layer coating at least the outer surface of the stent body, the first coated layer being prepared of a first composition comprising a biodegradable polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor of a kind, comprising argatroban, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight composition ratio of the polymer to the vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 7:3, and a second coated layer; and causing argatroban to be released from the stent to thereby inhibit the vascular intimal hyperplasia without inhibiting proliferation of endothelial cells.

Abstract: A stent includes a stent body of a cylindrical configuration having outer and inner surfaces, a first coated layer coating at least the outer surface, and a second coated layer coating substantially completely over the first coated layer. The first coated layer is prepared of a first composition comprising a polymer and a vascular intimal hyperplasia inhibitor (preferably argatroban) of a kind, which does not inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells, the weight compositional ratio of the polymer to the inhibitor being within the range of 8:2 to 3:7. On the other hand, the second coated layer is prepared of a polymer alone or a second composition comprising a polymer and a drug, the weight compositional ratio of the drug to 80% by weight of the polymer being less than 20% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of cutting a workpiece efficiently with high accuracy by utilizing tension adjusters to approximate tension in a wire in a wire saw to a predetermined target tension while effectively reducing only tension in a winder-side wire. The method comprises a forward-driven cutting step of cutting a workpiece while moving a wire forward, a first switching step of reversing a driving direction of the wire, a backward-driven cutting step of cutting the workpiece while moving the wire backward, and a second switching step of reversing a driving direction of the wire and returning to the forward-driven cutting step, the steps being repeated in this order. In both switching steps, only tension in a winder-side wire is reduced by tension manipulators. A reduction in target wire tension therefor is performed after completion of deceleration of the wire in each switching step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wire saw which cuts a workpiece using a cutting wire and is capable of adjusting wire tension with high responsiveness. The wire saw includes first and second workpiece cutting units 1A and 1B. Each of the workpiece cutting units 1A and 1B includes a pair of guide rollers 10a and 10b around which a wire W is wound to form a workpiece-cutting wire group. The wire saw further includes a tension detector 18 which detects tension in the wire W between the workpiece cutting units 1A and 1B, and a control device 50. The control device 50 changes a rotational speed of the guide rollers 10a and 10b of at least one of the workpiece cutting units based on the tension detected by the tension detector 18 so as to keep the tension within an acceptable range.

Abstract: A plasma generation system and related method for generating plasma in a cavity of a narrow tube, the system including: a first electrode including a conductive member covered with an insulator or dielectric, the first electrode being inserted into the cavity of the narrow tube to generate the plasma; a power supply to apply an alternating voltage or pulse voltage to the first electrode; and a second electrode located outside the narrow tube and connected to the power supply, the power supply applying the alternating voltage or pulse voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the conductive member is made of a wire, a portion of the narrow tube is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the second electrode is arranged and shaped so that a discharge is unevenly performed in a circumferential direction of the first electrode.

Abstract: A diamond-like carbon film (DLC film) is formed on the surface of a base material made of an inorganic material, such as ceramics, or the like, or an organic material, such as resin, or the like. The surface of the resultant DLC film is treated with plasma, or the like, so as to be activated. Various monomers having biocompatibility, etc., are graft-polymerized to the activated surface of the DLC film, whereby a polymer layer is formed from the monomers grafted to the surface of the DLC film. Thus, the base material coated with the DLC film modified with a polymer which does not readily separate can be realized.

Abstract: A method and system for surely and conveniently generating plasma in a narrow tube having a small diameter. A first electrode formed by a conductive member covered with an insulator or dielectric is inserted into a narrow tube. The narrow tube is located on a second electrode. A power supply applies an alternating voltage or pulse voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode so that plasma is generated in the narrow tube around the first electrode.

Abstract: A pressing mold for use in press working of a material includes a mold body, a coating film formed on the portion of the pressing mold that comes into contact with the material in the press working, the coating film being formed by PVD method. The coating film includes a TiN layer formed on a surface of the mold body, a Ti(CxNy) layer (wherein, x+y=1, x<1, and x gradually increases to 1 as it becomes more distant from the surface of the TiN layer) formed on the TiN layer, and a TiC layer formed on the Ti(CxNy) layer.