A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

A yarn including a plurality of twists formed by twisting single fiber strand or multiple fiber strands; and fiber grooves, which are spaces formed between the twists, to provide three-dimensional growth spaces and migration paths for cells. Accordingly, a cell proliferation rate and cell viability may be enhanced by creating microenvironments suitable for migration, proliferation and differentiation of cultured cells. In addition, cell clusters having more uniform shapes may be easily implemented by forming the proliferation spaces and migration paths for the cultured cells as similar as possible to each other in each scaffold. Further, the cells cultured thereby can be cultured in a suitable shape and structure to be applied to an in vitro experimental model or transplanted into the body of an animal, and can be widely applied in various products used in a cell culture or tissue engineering field.

A laser is used to form openings within a graft material to selectively enhance permeability of a prosthesis for tissue integration therein. A feature of utilizing a laser to create the openings for tissue integration builds from its tunability. More particularly, the laser precisely places openings in any pattern and location, and on any textile that forms the graft material. Further, the power and focus of the laser is precisely adjusted to control the diameter and shape of the openings. All parameters of the openings can be controlled at will, allowing for the opportunity to selectively enhance and optimize the permeability of the graft material in a vessel.

The techniques of this disclosure generally relate to a prosthesis including framed biodegradable yarn graft material having a frame and biodegradable yarns combined with the frame. The biodegradable yarns seal tissue integration openings within the frame. The frame provides long term mechanical strength while the biodegradable yarns provide acute strength and impermeability to prevent endoleaks. As the biodegradable yarns degrade, the drop in textile density creates tissue integration openings, through which tissue grows. The integrate of tissue into the framed biodegradable yarn graft material provides biological fixation of the prosthesis in vessels and prevents endoleaks and migration of the prosthesis.

The techniques of this disclosure generally relate to a variable permeability layered prosthesis including an impermeable outer layer and a permeable inner layer. The impermeable outer layer is well suited to seal a dissection opening of a dissection. The permeable inner layer allows fluid to enter into a dead space between the impermeable outer layer and the permeable inner layer. The fluid in the dead space coagulates in the dead space providing a media for tissue growth into the prosthesis. The ability of tissue to integrate into the prosthesis provides biological fixation of the prosthesis in vessels and prevents endoleaks and migration of the prosthesis.

The techniques of this disclosure generally relate to prosthesis formed from a biodegradable composite yarn. The biodegradable composite yarn includes a permanent core and a biodegradable shell. The biodegradable shell slowly dissolves over a period of time when placed in a vessel. As the biodegradable shell dissolves, openings are created in the prosthesis that are filled with tissue from the vessel wall of the vessel. The integration of the tissue into the prosthesis provides biological fixation of prosthesis in the vessel and prevents endoleaks and migration of prosthesis.

A needle lattice is used to form openings within a graft material to selectively enhance permeability of a prosthesis for tissue integration therein. The needle lattice may be disposed on, for example, a surface of a roller or press. The needle lattice precisely places openings in any pattern and location, and on any textile that forms the graft material. The needle lattice can be heated to fuse the surrounding material of the openings of the textile to prevent movement of the textiles and to prevent collapse of the openings. All parameters of the openings, including varying density, patterns, and size of each opening, can be controlled, allowing for the opportunity to selectively enhance and optimize the permeability of the graft material in a vessel. The needle lattice can quickly form multiple openings within a graft material, allowing for quick manufacturing of the prosthesis.

The techniques of this disclosure generally relate to applying an armor coating to a graft material. The armor coating is armor, impermeable to fluid, and elastic. The armor coating seals openings within the graft material eliminating passage of fluid through the graft material.

A carbon nanotube (CNT) muscle device includes a first CNT yarn. The first CNT yarn includes: one or more first CNT sheets wrapped in the form of a tube; and a first guest actuation material infiltrating the one or more first CNT sheets.

Sheath-run artificial muscles (or SRAMs) are described in which the dimensional changes and/or modulus changes of a sheath on the surface of a twisted or coiled host yarn or fiber drives torsional and tensile actuation. The sheath-core artificial muscle includes a sheath on a coiled core yarn or fiber that has inserted twist, in which the sheath does not include a yarn, the coiled core yarn or fiber includes a core yarn or fiber, the sheath can change volume, modulus, or a combination thereof when actuated by an influence source to drive actuation, and the influence source is selected from a group consisting of absorption processes, desorption processes, changes in temperature, changes in external pressure, changes in a magnetic field, changes in an electric field, exposures to actinic radiation, electrochemical charge and discharge, chemical reactions, and combinations thereof. These sheath-run muscles can be used for diverse applications, such as robots, robotic devices, energy harvesters, muscles that enable electrical energy harvesting, comfort-adjusting textiles, comfort-adjusting clothing, bio-powered intelligent muscles that control the release of drugs, muscles for appropriate drug delivery, intelligent muscles that sense their environment and actuate in response, muscles for artificial limbs and orthotic gloves, muscles for haptic applications, muscles that can perform in extreme environments, and muscles for intelligent solar panel positioning.