A method of generating an electric field in a target region of a patient includes inserting a set of electrodes having respective distal ends enclosed within a single elongate introducer shaft having a distal tip, into the vicinity of the target region; extending at least a pair of the electrodes to an extended position such that the electrode distal ends are deflected away from a longitudinal axis of the shaft in such a way that at least one planar projection taken in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a distance between a pair of distal ends of the electrodes is larger than a maximal extent of a cross-section of the introducer shaft, the cross-section taken in a plane perpendicular to the a longitudinal axis at a distal end of the introducer shaft; and applying one or more electric pulses to the target tissue through the electrodes.

An article of apparel is disclosed that includes zones with a textile having a structure than changes or is otherwise modified by a physical stimulus, such as the presence of water or a temperature change, to modify a property of the textile. The zones may be along a center back area and/or side areas of the apparel, and the textile may increase in air permeability when exposed to water. In some embodiments, slits are formed in the textile.

Described in embodiments herein are ionomers comprising a neutralized blend of an ethylene acid copolymer, an aliphatic and a mono-functional organic acid. The blend includes from 40 wt % to 95 wt % of the ethylene acid copolymer, from 5 to 50 wt % of the aliphatic, mono-functional organic acid, based on the total weight of the blend. The ethylene acid copolymer is the polymerized reaction product of ethylene, from 1 to 25 wt % of monocarboxylic acid and from 1 to 40 wt % of alkyl acrylate, based on the total weight of the monomers present in the ethylene acid copolymer. The aliphatic, mono-functional organic acid has fewer than 36 carbon atoms. In various embodiments, at least 70 mole % of total acid units are neutralized with both a trivalent cation and either a mono- or di-valent cation.

The invention relates to multi-component shape memory threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes, which includes at least two shape-memory polymeric (SMP-N) components. Each of the at least two SMP-N components is of at least 1% of the total weight, and N is a positive integer starting from 1, and the SMP-N components have a selectively engineered shape recovery temperature (T.sub.r) between approximately 0 C. to 130 C. Also, when T.sub.rN and T.sub.rN+1 are higher than room temperature, the threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes are configured to assume a substantially helical configuration upon heating to above T.sub.rN and lower than T.sub.rN+1 by a stimulus when an elongation of the threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes is approximately 30% to approximately 300%, and having a coil diameter from 0.5 to 10 mm and a number of the turns per cm from 5 to 30.

Embodiments of the disclosure generally provide methods related to articles that display reversible photoresponsive behavior.

A device for manipulating liquid droplets comprises a structured surface including an array of larger pillars and a number of smaller pillars distributed among the larger pillars, where each of the larger pillars comprises a shape memory polymer having a glass transition temperature T.sub.g. The structured surface has an undeformed initial configuration, and, upon compression of the larger pillars, the structured surface comprises a deformed configuration. The undeformed initial configuration is recoverable from the deformed configuration by heating the shape memory polymer at or above the T.sub.g. When exposed to a liquid droplet, the structured surface comprises a first wettability in the deformed configuration and a second wettability in the undeformed initial configuration. Thus, the structured surface exhibits a dynamic wettability for manipulating liquid droplets.

The present invention provides an energy absorbing foam material includes at least one shape memory polymer foam having a non-impact resistant configuration in a first force-application time, an impact resistant configuration in a second force-application time at a working temperature, a first glass transition temperature equal to or lower than a working temperature in the first force-application time, and a second glass transition temperature higher than a working temperature in the second force-application time. A second elastic modulus of the shape memory polymer foam in the second force-application time is at least 10 times than a first elastic modulus of the shape memory polymer form in the first force-application time at the working temperature.

Polymeric based closed cell foams, such as shape memory polymer foams, contain bubbles. Making these bubbles continuous is called reticulation. Disclosed are embodiments of a device and method to controllably reticulate polymer-based closed cell foams by puncturing the membranes of these polymer-based closed cell foams.

An article of apparel is disclosed that includes zones with a textile having a structure than changes or is otherwise modified by a physical stimulus, such as the presence of water or a temperature change, to modify a property of the textile. The zones may be along a center back area and/or side areas of the apparel, and the textile may increase in air permeability when exposed to water. In some embodiments, slits are formed in the textile.

An energy delivery probe and method of using the energy delivery probe to treat a patient is provided herein. The energy delivery probe has at least one probe body having a longitudinal axis and at least a first trocar and a second trocar. At least a portion of each trocar is disposed with the at least one probe body. The distance between the first trocar and the second trocar is adjustable between a first position and a second position. Each of the deployed electrodes has an energy delivery surface of a sufficient size to create a volumetric ablation zone between the deployed electrodes. The energy delivery probe is connected to an energy source. At least one cable couples the energy delivery probe to the energy source.