A polymer film can be adjusted to movement or a fine uneven surface of a living body and has excellent ability to adhere to a biological tissue. The polymer film includes a block copolymer having a structure in which branched polyalkylene glycol and polyhydroxyalkanoic acid are bound to each other, wherein the polymer film has a film thickness of 10 to 1000 nm. The branched polyalkylene glycol has at least three terminal hydroxyl groups per molecule, the mass percentage of the branched polyalkylene glycol relative to the total mass of the block copolymer is 1% to 30%, and a value obtained by dividing the average molecular weight of polyhydroxyalkanoic acid in the block copolymer by X that is the number of terminal hydroxyl groups present per a single molecule of the branched polyalkylene glycol is 10000 to 30000.

Lung volume reduction by isolating a target lung portion from the rest of the lung with a mass of extracellular matrix (“ECM”) material. The procedure can be performed by locating a tube within the lumen of an airway to be obstructed and depositing an amount of flowable or other ECM in the open space until the lumen is occluded. Optionally, the procedure may be performed by delivering a plug substantially comprised of ECM material into the lumen of an airway to be obstructed. Further optionally, the ECM plug may include a one-way valve to allow air and mucous to escape from the isolated lung portion.

The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and a compound of the formula:

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.8, M.sup.1, M.sup.2, M.sup.3, M.sup.4, M.sup.5, M.sup.6 and M.sup.7 are each independently a member selected from the group consisting of H, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, OH and C.sub.1-6 hydroxyalkyl; R.sup.4, R.sup.7 and R.sup.9 are each independently selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-6 alkoxy and OH; R.sup.10 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, —OH, —OP(O)Me.sub.2,

##STR00002##

—O—(CH.sub.2).sub.n—OH and —O—(CH.sub.2).sub.m—O—(CH.sub.2).sub.o—CH.sub.3, wherein subscripts n and m are each independently from 2 to 8 and subscript o is from 1 to 6; each of L.sup.1 and L.sup.4 are independently selected from the group consisting of:

##STR00003##

wherein each M.sup.8 is independently a member selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1-6 alkyl, OH and C.sub.1-6 hydroxyalkyl; each of L.sup.2 and L.sup.3 are independently selected from the group consisting of:

##STR00004##

and salts, hydrates, isomers, metabolites, N-oxides and prodrugs thereof.

Biomaterials and methods and uses for repair or augmentation of tissues are provided. In particular, the invention provides a multi-layered, naturally occurring multi-axial oriented biomaterial comprising predominately type I collagen fibers. The invention further provides methods and uses for repair or augmentation of tissues using biomaterials of the invention.

A biodegradable in vivo supporting device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a coated stent device includes a biodegradable metal alloy scaffold made from a magnesium alloy, iron alloy, zinc alloy, or combination thereof, and the metal scaffold comprises a plurality of metal struts. The metal struts are at least partially covered with a biodegradable polymer coating. A method for making and a method for using a biodegradable in vivo supporting device are also disclosed.

The present invention provides a superelastic alloy containing Au in an amount of 8.0% by mass or more and 20.0% by mass or less and at least one of Cr and Mo as essential additive elements, Ta as an optional additive element, and Ti and inevitable impurities as a balance, wherein the Cr equivalent calculated on the basis of the following formula for the relationship of the Cr content, the Mo content and the Ta content is within the range of more than 0.5 and less than 8.0. The alloy is a Ni-free superelastic alloy, and has favorable X-ray-imaging property. Accordingly, the alloy can be suitably used in medical fields.

Cr equivalent=[Cr content (% by mass)]+([Mo content (% by mass)]/1.7)+([Ta content (% by mass)]/15)   [Formula 1]

A barrier layer and corresponding method of making provide anti-inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and anti-adhesion functionality for a medical device implantable in a patient. The barrier layer can be combined with a medical device structure to provide anti-adhesion characteristics, in addition to improved healing, non-inflammatory, and anti-inflammatory response. The barrier layer is generally formed of a naturally occurring oil, or an oil composition formed in part of a naturally occurring oil, that is at least partially cured forming a cross-linked gel. In addition, the oil composition can include a therapeutic agent component, such as a drug or other bioactive agent.

A pouch-like structure useful for mechanically preventing distension and/or resisting dilation of the heart and for supporting the hearts function by controllable and paracrine support of a failing heart in a mammal, is composed at least partly of engineered tissue with genetically engineered cells other than cardiac myocytes. The genetically engineered cells contain a gene encoding a paracrine factor which is under control of an inducible promoter system or a heterologous promoter system. The preparation of the pouch-like structure may be used for therapeutic, disease modelling, and drug development applications.

The present disclosure provides a method of forming a biocompatible structure that includes forming biodissolvable substrate comprising a flexible network of peptides, and a biocompatible structure having a biodissolvable substrate and, optionally, an electronic device on a surface thereof for use in implantable electronics.

Disclosed are micronized hydrophilic systems of highly concentrated, cross-linked biopolymers. The system is created by combining a biopolymer with a cross-linking agent under mechanical kneading and allowing the biopolymer to undergo a cross-linking process followed by purification, drying and milling. The resulting micronized biopolymer system has an increased biopolymer concentration and increased longevity within the body.