Abstract: An adhesive device comprising a microstructure and polymer designed to interdigitate with the surface structure of a target surface. The device may include a microstructure material having an elastomeric, crosslinked polymer which may swell in the presence of a liquid. In the pre-swell state, the device microstructure may interdigitate with a target surface microstructure. When liquid on the target surface contacts the microstructure surface of the device, the liquid may cause the microstructure surface of the device to swell. The swelling may cause the microstructure to grasp the target surface resulting in adhesion between the device and the target surfaces.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an endoprosthesis where a preferably polymeric coating has a number of surface features such as protrusions or textures that are arranged in a micropattern. The endoprosthesis optionally has an expanded state and a contracted state, and in some cases includes a stent with a polymeric coating attached to an outer surface of the stent. The stent may have an inner surface defining a lumen, an outer surface, and a stent thickness defined between the inner surface and outer surface. The stent may comprise a plurality of surface textures extending from the stent surfaces, wherein the textures are arranged in a macropattern.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to gripping surfaces and devices comprising the same, wherein the gripping surface comprises a shape tunable surface microstructure, wherein the height, width and spatial periodicity of the microstructures corresponds to an integer multiple of Schallamach wave amplitudes and wavelengths of a target surface, wherein the device microstructures and induced Schallamach waves are entrained by applying strain to the device.

Abstract: Bio-adhesive textured surfaces and methods of making the same are described which allow implants to be localized within a living body. Hierarchical levels of texture on an implantable medical device, some capable of establishing a Wenzel state and others a Cassie state, may be employed to interface with living structures to provide resistance to device migration. Since a gaseous state is traditionally required to establish a Cassie or Wenzel state, and gases do not remain long in living tissue, described herein are tissue/device interactions analogous to the above states with the component normally represented by a gas replaced by a bodily constituent, wherein separation of tissue constituents develops and an analogous Cassie, Wenzel, or Cassie-Wenzel state evolves. Further methods of making molds to produce said devices are described herein.

Abstract: A microstructured hemostat comprising multiple layers of microstructure, each layer characterized by one or more length scales, is described. Microstructured hemostats of the present invention, can reduce the time for blood coagulation, control the morphology of the coagulation, and provide a novel diagnostic platform for evaluation of coagulation function from a morphological perspective.

Abstract: Soft tissue repair grafts are described comprising an anti-adhesion layer, a structural layer, and a localization layer. These layers may be distinct or integrated into one substrate. The term layer is used to distinguish tissue repair graft functionality rather than distinct material layers. The distinct layers of functionality may comprise a single plane of a substance.

Abstract: A microstructured pressure-sensitive surface is described comprising a Wenzel-Cassie hydrophilic-hydrophobic zone structure and capillary action with improved peel strength. The capillary action is enhanced by the Wenzel-Cassie zone creation, and the barrier energy to disruption of the Wenzel-Cassie zone is increased by the capillary action. The micro-structured surfaces of the present invention create water zones of exclusion, where entropic effects reinforce Wenzel-Cassie zone stability, creating a suction effect that conforms the microstructure surface to a target surface.

Abstract: A device comprising a microstructured surface wherein in one aspect, the microstructured surface is arranged hierarchically with dual-functioning textured features. The surface may achieve adhesive properties by varying the parameters of the microstructure features. Additionally, the surface may achieve cellular and/or tissues in-growth functionality by varying the same parameters. Generally, the dual-functional aspect includes at least one surface feature having a varied periodicity which may be imposed on at least one other surface feature.

Abstract: An adhesive device comprising a microstructure and polymer designed to interdigitate with the surface structure of a target surface. The device may include a microstructure material having an elastomeric, crosslinked polymer which may swell in the presence of a liquid. In the pre-swell state, the device microstructure may interdigitate with a target surface microstructure. When liquid on the target surface contacts the microstructure surface of the device, the liquid may cause the microstructure surface of the device to swell. The swelling may cause the microstructure to grasp the target surface resulting in adhesion between the device and the target surfaces.

Abstract: A quantum cascade laser (QCL) may include multiple branch waveguide regions having one or more laser cores providing optical gain at one or more output wavelengths, a stem waveguide region, and multiple couplers arranged to couple light from the plurality of branch waveguide regions to the stem waveguide region. Each of the couplers may include two or more curved waveguide regions having a continuously-varying radius of curvature providing that a fundamental transverse mode at the output wavelengths is dominant, and a coupler to combine light from the two or more curved waveguides and maintain dominance of the fundamental transverse mode at the output wavelengths. The fundamental transverse mode at the output wavelengths may be dominant in output light from the stem waveguide.

Abstract: The present disclosure comprises micropatterned fabric, meshes, textiles, and implantable devices which may include having one substrate including a mesh, a second substrate having a microstructured surface, and a fibrous layer disposed therebetween. The fibrous layer comprises a plurality of randomly oriented fibers. The devices having the microstructured surface may include a plurality of first level microfeatures and a plurality of second level microfeatures wherein the plurality of second level microfeatures are disposed hierarchically the first level microfeatures.

Abstract: Bio-adhesive textured surfaces and methods of making the same are described which allow implants to be localized within a living body. Hierarchical levels of texture on an implantable medical device, some capable of establishing a Wenzel state and others a Cassie state, may be employed to interface with living structures to provide resistance to device migration. Since a gaseous state is traditionally required to establish a Cassie or Wenzel state, and gases do not remain long in living tissue, described herein are tissue/device interactions analogous to the above states with the component normally represented by a gas replaced by a bodily constituent, wherein separation of tissue constituents develops and an analogous Cassie, Wenzel, or Cassie-Wenzel state evolves. Further methods of making molds to produce said devices are described herein.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides microstructured hydrophobic surfaces and devices for gripping wet deformable surfaces. The surfaces and devices disclosed herein utilize a split contact Wenzel-Cassie mechanism to develop multi-level Wenzel-Cassie structures. The Wenzel-Cassie structures are separated with a spatial period corresponding to at least one wrinkle eigenmode of a wet deformable surface to which the microstructure or device is designed to contact, allowing grip of the deformable surface without slippage. Microstructures of the present invention are specifically designed to prevent the formation of Shallamach waves when a shear force is applied to a deformable surface. The multi-level Wenzel-Cassie states of the present disclosure develop temporally, and accordingly are characterized by hierarchical fluid pinning, both in the instance of slippage, and more importantly in the instance of localization.

Abstract: A device comprising a microstructured surface wherein in one aspect, the microstructured surface is arranged hierarchically with dual-functioning textured features. The surface may achieve adhesive properties by varying the parameters of the microstructure features. Additionally, the surface may achieve cellular and/or tissues in-growth functionality by varying the same parameters. Generally, the dual-functional aspect includes at least one surface feature having a varied periodicity which may be imposed on at least one other surface feature.

Abstract: The present application relates to multifunctional hierarchically microstructured surfaces and three-dimensional anchored interfacial domain structures. The multifunctional properties are extremal. In one aspect the microstructured surfaces may be super-adhesive. Examples of super-adhesive mechanisms may include gas trapping, fluid trapping, and solid wrinkle trapping. In another aspect the microstructured surfaces may be nearly adhesive-less. Examples of adhesive-less mechanisms may include inter-solid surface lubrication, energy conserving fluid flows, and super-low drag phase-phase lateral displacement. The extremal structures may be obtained by anchoring mechanisms. Examples of anchoring mechanisms may include Wenzel-Cassie formation, contact angle confusion, and capillary effects.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to pharmaceutical formulations of contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and methods of making and purifying the same. More specifically, disclosed are such pharmaceutical formulations of chelate complexes with lanthanide metal ions, such as gadolinium ions, as well as methods for obtaining and purifying the same. In particular, the pharmaceutical formulations are free or substantially free of water molecules coordinated with the lanthanide metal chelate complexes and provide pharmaceutical compositions that are more stable and release less lanthanide ion, specifically gadolinium ion, into the human body when injected as MRI contrast agents as compared to other typically used MRI contrast agents.

Abstract: Polymer devices are disclosed with microstructured surfaces that modify their absorption pathway. Polymers which generally degrade in water by fracturing into high surface energy fragments, are modified to degrade in vivo without the formation of sharp fragments. Devices are disclosed that possess improved handling characteristics and degrade in an aqueous environment in a uniform and continuous way that favors the formation of soluble monomers rather than solid particulate. Absorbable medical implants with the disclosed surface modifications are more biocompatible, with reduced foreign body response, and dissolution into metabolizable molecular species.

Abstract: A microstructured hemostat comprising multiple layers of microstructure, each layer characterized by one or more length scales, is described. Microstructured hemostats of the present invention, can reduce the time for blood coagulation, control the morphology of the coagulation, and provide a novel diagnostic platform for evaluation of coagulation function from a morphological perspective.

Abstract: A device with a microstructure arrangement for gripping low coefficient of friction material which may include a set of microfeatures disposed on a substrate. The microfeatures may provide a physical property of a grip force exceeding a grip force theoretically achieved by friction theory alone. The microfeatures may provide a grip force in excess of 50.0 N. The microstructure arrangement may include a gripping surface with a contact area of 25% or less of the total macroscopic area of the device.

Abstract: Low radial force stents with good resistance to migration are described comprising microstructured surfaces which generate inward radially directed grip to a lumen. In particular, stents are described for deployment within biological lumens where a novel combination of low outwardly directed radial force and resistance to shear slippage within the lumen is achieved by hierarchical microstructured surfaces which provide non-frictional grip to the luminal surface. Combinations of microstructured surfaces which combine low radial force frictional grip and non-frictional grip which do not rely on axially dependent changes in stent diameter or stent oversizing are described. These combinations of microstructured surfaces when placed on the outer surface of a stent provide a non-migrating stent. The hierarchical levels of the disclosed microstructures may themselves by composites of microstructures, which may or may not be self-similar to other hierarchical levels.