The present invention provides constructs including a tubular biodegradable polyglycolic acid scaffold, wherein the scaffold may be coated with extracellular matrix proteins and substantially acellular. The constructs can be utilized as an arteriovenous graft, a coronary graft, a peripheral artery bypass conduit, or a urinary conduit. The present invention also provides methods of producing such constructs.

A ball sealer for hydrocarbon resource recovery, comprising: a generally spherical entire structure including at least two layers of a spherical core and a surface resin layer covering the spherical core, of which at least the surface resin layer comprises a polyglycolic acid resin; and having a diameter of at least about 25 mm (1 inch). The ball sealer is produced through a process comprising the steps of: disposing a spherical core by a support pin at a substantially central position within a mold cavity, injecting a surface resin comprising a polyglycolic acid resin into the cavity surrounding the spherical core, causing the support pin to retreat up to a wall surface of mold cavity in synchronism with a completion of the injection of the surface resin, and then hardening the surface resin. As a result, it is possible to produce a large-diameter ball sealer suitable for use in the hydraulic fracturing process (hydraulic fracturing) widely used for recovery of hydrocarbon resources by using a polyglycolic acid resin which is a biodegradable resin having good mechanical strengths and a good size designability at least as a surface-forming resin, through relatively simple steps and with good dimensional accuracy.

In one embodiment, a method to form a downhole element is disclosed, including weaving a continuous glass filament and a continuous degradable thermoplastic filament to form a commingled glass fiber. In another embodiment, a commingled glass fiber is disclosed, including a continuous glass filament, and a continuous degradable thermoplastic filament interwoven with the continuous glass filament. In another embodiment, a downhole element is disclosed, including a commingled glass fiber. The commingled glass fiber includes a continuous glass filament, and a continuous degradable thermoplastic filament interwoven with the continuous glass filament.

A method for locating a material having thermoplastic properties in pores of bone tissue includes providing a pin having the material having thermoplastic properties and a core, wherein the material having thermoplastic properties is arranged on the circumferential surface of the core constituting an outer region of the pin. An opening is provided in the bone tissue, and the pin is positioned at least partly in the opening. The outer region of the pin is then impinged with mechanical vibration energy for a time sufficient for liquefying at least part of the material having thermoplastic properties, and, in a liquefied state, pressing it into the pores of the bone tissue surrounding the opening. The vibration energy is stopped for a time sufficient for re-solidification of the liquefied material, and then the core is removed.

A method for locating a material having thermoplastic properties in pores of bone tissue includes providing a pin having the material having thermoplastic properties and a core, wherein the material having thermoplastic properties is arranged on the circumferential surface of the core constituting an outer region of the pin. An opening is provided in the bone tissue, and the pin is positioned at least partly in the opening. The outer region of the pin is then impinged with mechanical vibration energy for a time sufficient for liquefying at least part of the material having thermoplastic properties, and, in a liquefied state, pressing it into the pores of the bone tissue surrounding the opening. The vibration energy is stopped for a time sufficient for re-solidification of the liquefied material, and then the core is removed.

A method of manufacturing a needle-shaped body includes forming a needle-shaped body precursor such that the needle-shaped body precursor has a base portion and a needle-shaped portion on the base portion, and that the needle-shaped portion has a portion which contacts the base portion and has a form of a polygon, producing a needle-shaped body original plate by forming a curved surface portion in at least a portion of an apex portion of the polygon in a junction portion at a boundary between the base portion and the needle-shaped portion, producing a resin plate by transfer molding with the needle-shaped body original plate such that the resin plate has a concave pattern corresponding to the needle-shaped portion and the curved surface portion, and producing a needle-shaped body by transfer molding with the resin plate such that the needle-shaped body has a transferred needle-shaped portion and a transferred curved surface portion.

Disclosed herein, amongst other things, is a molded article, such as a preform that is blow moldable to form a container, and a related method of forming and recycling a container. The structure and steps includes injection molding a molded article having tubular body.

The present invention provides constructs including a tubular biodegradable polyglycolic acid scaffold, wherein the scaffold may be coated with extracellular matrix proteins and substantially acellular. The constructs can be utilized as an arteriovenous graft, a coronary graft, a peripheral artery bypass conduit, or a urinary conduit. The present invention also provides methods of producing such constructs.

A synthesis method for degradable material(s) (DM) which can be used in oil and gas field operations. The method involves using two, three, four or five polymer and chain extenders, including poly glycolic acid (PGA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHA), to synthesize a resin alloy through the melt mixing reaction method, which can be used in oil and gas field operations. The proposed DM can be prepared into flake, powder, granules, and ball shapes, or by one of the pure PGA, PCL, PLA, PBS and PHA, into flake, powder, granule and ball shapes, which can be further used in all kinds of operations (drilling, well completion, workover and acidizing fracturing) in oil and gas fields, such as temporary plugging to protect a reservoir, temporary plugging of perforation holes, construction intervals, etc. The DMs are fully degradable and cause almost no damage to formations.

The present invention provides constructs including a tubular biodegradable polyglycolic acid scaffold, wherein the scaffold may be coated with extracellular matrix proteins and substantially acellular. The constructs can be utilized as an arteriovenous graft, a coronary graft, a peripheral artery bypass conduit, or a urinary conduit. The present invention also provides methods of producing such constructs.