Abstract: A tacrolimus drug-eluting stent manufacturing method according to the present invention enables a tacrolimus drug to be strongly and stably bound onto a stent, while also not necessarily involving a separate step of introducing a surface-binding functional group for the binding of a drug onto a stent and a step of introducing, into the drug, a functional group capable of binding to the surface-binding functional group, and a tacrolimus drug-eluting stent manufactured by the manufacturing method has a greater total drug elution amount and has a more excellent delayed drug-elution property.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a composite balloon comprising a layer of material having a porous microstructure (e.g., ePTFE or expanded polyethylene) and a thermoplastic polymeric layer useful for medical applications. The layers of the composite balloons become adhered through a stretch blow-molding process. Methods of making and using such composite balloons are also described amongst others.

Abstract: An implantable medical device includes an elongate member having a cross-sectional dimension that is less than 0.00085 inch, wherein the elongate member is made from a material comprising a platinum-tungsten alloy having a percentage of tungsten that is at least 10% by weight or alternatively the implantable medical device includes an elongate member made from a material comprising an alloy containing rhenium.

Abstract: A quantum dot-polymer composite film includes: a plurality of quantum dots, wherein a quantum dot of the plurality of quantum dots includes an organic ligand on a surface of a the quantum dot; a cured product of a photopolymerizable monomer including a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond; and a residue including a residue of a high-boiling point solvent, a residue of a polyvalent metal compound, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A transparent wood comprising at least one polymer and a wood substrate comprising more than 15% lignin, measured as Klason lignin, and having an optical transmittance of at least 60%, as well as a method for its preparation.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coated article comprises injecting a feedstock with a polymer resin to provide a resin-injected feedstock, pulling the resin-injected feedstock through a pultrusion die to form a pultrusion substrate having one or more profile surfaces, adhering an adhesive material comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane onto at least a portion the one or more profile surfaces to form one or more adhesive tie layers on the pultrusion substrate, and applying one or more coating materials onto the one or more adhesive tie layers to form one or more coating layers on the one or more adhesive tie layers to provide a coated pultrusion article, wherein an adhesion strength between the one or more coating layers and the one or more adhesive tie layers is higher than a corresponding adhesion strength would be between the one or more coating layers and the pultrusion substrate.

Abstract: A balloon catheter which is inflated after insertion into a tubular tissue includes: a balloon catheter body made of a polymer material, which is inflatable by fluid injection; and a plurality of microneedles formed on the surface of the balloon catheter body, wherein the microneedles are formed by transferring a biocompatible polymer resin or photocurable resin, filled in intaglio patterns formed on a mold, which have a shape corresponding to a shape of the microneedles, to the surface of the balloon catheter body which is in close contact with the mold, by a thermal molding, thermal crosslinking or photocuring process.

Abstract: Described are medical devices including expandable tubular bodies configured to be implanted into a lumen, wherein the outer surface of the expandable tubular bodies are coupled to a polymer(s).

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for finishing surfaces and edges of a stent. The apparatus may be capable of rotating a turning wheel, lowering the turning wheel onto a stent, tilting the stent, and polishing and deburring exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of the stent. An automated method is provided for polishing and deburring exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of a stent. Additionally, the automated method may include rotating a turning wheel, applying magnetic abrasive particles to the turning wheel, lowering the turning wheel onto the stent, tilting the stent, and polishing and deburring the exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of the stent.

Abstract: Improvements in the extrusion of thermohardenable materials are achieved by cooling the material in the initial zone of the extruder and reducing residence time by use of a prescribed length to diameter ratio and screw speed, particularly useful for intermittent application during robotically controlled mass production.

Abstract: A method of making a printed circuit board pallet is provided. The method of making the pallet illustratively includes the steps of: providing a base in a form of a polymer sheet stock; applying a fluid onto the base at selective locations where the pallet will be built-up to a three-dimensional form; depositing a polymer powder onto the base at the selective locations applied with the fluid; removing any excess amounts of the polymer powder not adhered to the fluid; and heating the pallet to fuse the polymer powder together and to the base.

Abstract: A water-based hydrogel polymer coating and a method of application to natural rubber or other elastomeric latex products are provided. The water-based hydrogel polymer is mixed with a blend of at least one elastomeric material to provide a hydrogel polymer blend composition. The water-based hydrogel polymer blend composition is applied in a single application to an elastomeric article, such as gloves, without additional solvents in the polymer blend composition and without a separate acid or chemical priming step. The water-based hydrogel coating herein provides increased lubricity to facilitate improved wet and dry donning of the elastomeric article.

Abstract: There is disclosed additive manufacturing apparatus comprising: a controller to: receive object data relating to an object to be generated; and define print data for additive manufacture of the object by ejection of a print agent on build material in a pattern corresponding to selective fusing of the build material, wherein the print data is defined based on the object data so that the pattern defines a shield feature embedded within the object to inhibit fusing of build material corresponding to the shield feature relative build material corresponding to an adjacent portion of the object; and a print agent distributor to eject a print agent on build material based on the print data.

Abstract: Provided is a method of applying an electron beam curable aqueous coating material, including coating a surface of a material to be coated with the electron beam curable aqueous coating material to form a wet coating film; drying the wet coating film until a time integration value of a reciprocal of an average value of viscosities of a region from a surface of the wet coating film to a depth of one half a film thickness of the wet coating film is in a range of 0.30 (Pa·s)?1·min to 0.90 (Pa·s)?1·min, which is acquired by an electric field pick-up method, and a solid content concentration of the wet coating film is 90% by mass or greater; and curing the obtained dry coating film by irradiation with an electron beam after the wet coating film is dried.

Abstract: A method is provided for shaping a custom anterior dental restoration from a preform, wherein the preform comprises a preform body and a preform stem. A method is further disclosed for generating one or more nesting positions for the restoration design within the geometry of the preform body relative to the position of the preform stem. A method is further disclosed for generating machining instructions based on the selected nesting position to optimize machining for chair-side applications.

Abstract: Example compliant hydrophilic coatings including a base coat and a lubricious top coat for coating a medical device including a flexible substrate. The coatings exhibit reduced cracking and peeling in response to deformation or expansion of the flexible substrate. Example techniques for coating a medical device including a flexible substrate with compliant hydrophilic coatings.

Abstract: The present invention relates to large scale manufacture of nanoscale microsheets for use in applications such as wound healing or modification of a biological or medical surface.

Abstract: Techniques to fabricate and use a nanocomposite coating that includes one or more nanotubes such as carbon nanotubes are disclosed. In some examples, a guidewire may include the nanocomposite material. The guidewire is immune to electromagnetic interference, is thermally robust, and is capable of accommodating inactive markers and active electronics.

Abstract: In a functionalization method for use in dentistry, and a method for same, the application device includes a support for receiving a partially processed shaped dental part for producing a dental restoration, and a dispensing device for the at least partial infiltration of a functionalization material onto the surface of the shaped dental part.

Abstract: The present invention provides an artificial skin and a preparation method thereof. The present invention takes the xenogeneic acellular dermal matrix particles as main materials, and obtains the dermis layer by three-dimensional printing technologies, and then obtains the artificial skin by combining the epidermis layer with the dermis layer. The dermis layer of artificial skin in present invention has three-dimensional porous structure, which retains main components of natural dermal matrix in composition, and imitates distributed structure at fiber bundle diameter and pore size of natural dermal matrix in structure. This kind of novel biomimetic dermal scaffolds have obvious advantages in inducing migration and regeneration of skin cells, accelerating vascularization, promoting wound healing and improving healing quality.