Stretch and stress distributions in the human artery based on two-layer model considering residual stresses.

The objective is to know the stress distributions in the arterial walls under residual stresses based on two-layer model. Human common carotid arteries were analysed to show stress distributions at physiological and supraphysiological intraluminal pressures. The analyses for the loaded states were performed with stretch ratios with reference to a Riemannian stress-free configuration which is a 3D non-Euclidean manifold due to the nonzero Riemann curvature tensor.

Three-Dimensional Contractile Mechanics of Artery Accounting for Curl of Axial Strip Sectioned from Vessel Wall.

Purpose: It is well known that a sliced ring of arterial wall opens by a radial cut. An axial strip sectioned from arterial wall also curls into an arc. These phenomena imply that there exist residual strains in the circumferential and axial directions.

Biaxial contractile mechanics of common carotid arteries of rabbit.

Few multiaxial constitutive laws under the vasoactive condition have been proposed as compared with those under the passive condition. The biaxial isometric properties of vasoactive rabbit arteries were studied, although the constitutive law was not proposed. The purpose of the present study is also to describe the multiaxial active mechanical properties of arteries.

Non-Euclidean stress-free configuration of arteries accounting for curl of axial strips sectioned from vessels.

It is well known that arteries are subject to residual stress. In earlier studies, the residual stress in the arterial ring relieved by a radial cut was considered in stress analysis. However, it has been found that axial strips sectioned from arteries also curled into arcs, showing that the axial residual stresses were relieved from the arterial walls.

Surface density mapping of natural tissue by a scanning haptic microscope (SHM).

To expand the performance capacity of the scanning haptic microscope (SHM) beyond surface mapping microscopy of elastic modulus or topography, surface density mapping of a natural tissue was performed by applying a measurement theory of SHM, in which a frequency change occurs upon contact of the sample surface with the SHM sensor - a microtactile sensor (MTS) that vibrates at a pre-determined constant oscillation frequency. This change was mainly stiffness-dependent at a low oscillation frequency and density-dependent at a high oscillation frequency. Two paragon examples with extremely different densities but similar macroscopic elastic moduli in the range of natural soft tissues were selected: one was agar hydrogels and the other silicon organogels with extremely low (less than 25 mg/cm(3)) and high densities (ca.

Observation of local elastic distribution in aortic tissues under static strain condition by use of a scanning haptic microscope.

The purpose of this study was to observe variation in the local elastic distribution in aortic tissue walls under different static strain conditions, including physiological strain, by use of a scanning haptic microscope (SHM). Strain was applied by stretching aortic tissues in the circumferential direction by the simple tensile method or by the rod-insertion method to mimic in vivo internal pressure loading. SHM measurements in a saline solution at room temperature were performed on canine thoracic aorta using a glass needle probe with a diameter of ca 5 μm and a scanning area and point pitch of 160 × 80 μm and 2 μm, respectively.

Water-soluble argatroban for antithrombogenic surface coating of tissue-engineered cardiovascular tissues.

Argatroban is a powerful synthetic anticoagulant, but due to its water-insoluble nature, it is unsuitable for use as a coating material to reduce the thrombogenic potential of natural or tissue-engineered blood-contacting cardiovascular tissues. On the other hand, anionic compounds could adsorb firmly onto connective tissues. Therefore, in this study, an anionic form of argatroban was prepared by neutralization from its alkaline solution, dialysis, and freeze-drying.

Variations in local elastic modulus along the length of the aorta as observed by use of a scanning haptic microscope (SHM).

Variations in microscopic elastic structures along the entire length of canine aorta were evaluated by use of a scanning haptic microscope (SHM). The total aorta from the aortic arch to the abdominal aorta was divided into 6 approximately equal segments. After embedding the aorta in agar, it was cut into horizontal circumferential segments to obtain disk-like agar portions containing ring-like samples of aorta with flat surfaces (thickness, approximately 1 mm).

Preparation of well-defined poly(ether-ester) macromers: photogelation and biodegradability.

Two series of poly(ether-ester)-based bis-functional macromers terminated with acrylate groups and a well-defined number of ester bonds were synthesized. One series had a chain of 1, 3 or 5 ester bonds at both ends of the central poly(ethylene glycol) block (molecular weight, about 1000), while the other had an alternating structure of oligo(ethylene glycol) each of them linked to two ester bonds, in which 6 or 10 ester bonds were incorporated equally in the macromer molecules and the total molecular weight was adjusted by about 1000. Irradiation of all poly(ether-ester) macromers mixed with camphorquinone resulted in the formation of gels.

Surface elasticity imaging of vascular tissues in a liquid environment by a scanning haptic microscope.

The objective of this study was to make an elasticity distribution image of natural arteries in a liquid environment at high resolution at the micrometer level and at a wide area at the sub-square millimeter level by improving the scanning haptic microscope (SHM), developed previously for characterization of the stiffness of natural tissues. The circumferential sections (thickness, 1.0 mm) of small-caliber porcine arteries (approximately 3-mm diameter) were used as a sample.

In vivo evaluation of hydroxyapatite nanocoating on polyester artificial vascular grafts and possibility as soft-tissue compatible material.

The efficacy of hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocoating on polyester vascular grafts was investigated in animal experiments. The HAp nanocrystals were covalently bonded separately between hydroxyl groups on a nanocrystal and alkoxysilyl groups in gamma-methacryloxypropyl triethoxysilane graft polymerized on a polyester substrate. Twelve HAp-coated polyester grafts and 10 control grafts of 20, 30, or 50 mm in length were implanted in canine common carotid arteries.

In vitro maturation of "biotube" vascular grafts induced by a 2-day pulsatile flow loading.

Autologous vascular tissues with a small diameter, "biotubes," were developed in vivo using a novel concept in regenerative medicine, "in-body tissue architecture technology." The effect of pulsatile flow in vitro was investigated on the structural and functional properties of the biotubes. Silicone rods (diameter, 3.

Faster and stronger vascular "Biotube" graft fabrication in vivo using a novel nicotine-containing mold.

To accelerate the fabrication of in vivo-tissue engineered autologous vascular prosthetic tissues, the "Biotube," a novel drug-coating mold was designed. The mold was prepared by impregnating nicotine as a model drug into a gelatinous matrix coated on acrylate rods (diameter, 2 mm; length, 20 mm). Upon embedding the molds into dorsal subcutaneous pouches of rats, completely encapsulated Biotubes with significant tissue migration accompanied by rich angiogenesis and having 3.

Development of salmon collagen vascular graft: mechanical and biological properties and preliminary implantation study.

Elastic salmon collagen (SC) vascular grafts were prepared by incubating a mixture of acidic SC solution and a fibrillogenesis-inducing buffer containing a crosslinking agent [water-soluble carbodiimide (WSC)] in a tubular mold at 4 degrees C for 24 h and then at 60 degrees C for 5 min. Subsequently, re-crosslinking in ethanol solution containing WSC was performed. The dimension of the SC grafts was easily controlled by changing the size of the mold used.

Development of the wing-attached rod for acceleration of "Biotube" vascular grafts fabrication in vivo.

To accelerate the fabrication of in vivo tissue-engineered autologous vascular prosthetic tissues, the "Biotube," a novel wing-attached rod mold was designed for a tissue rolling technique based on a two-step in body tissue incubation (IBTI) process. The new mold consisted of a silicone rod (3-mm diameter, 23-mm length) partly connected to a poly(ethylene terephthalate) film (a wing, 23 x 19 x 0.1 mm).

Mechanical responses of a compliant electrospun poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) small-diameter vascular graft.

To design a "mechano-active" small-diameter artificial vascular graft, a tubular scaffold made of elastomeric poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) fabrics at different wall thicknesses was fabricated using an electrospinning (ELSP) technique. The wall thickness of the fabricated tube (inner diameter; approximately 2.3-2.

Mechano-active scaffold design of small-diameter artificial graft made of electrospun segmented polyurethane fabrics.

To fabricate a "mechano-active" tubular scaffold of nonwoven mesh-type small-diameter artificial graft made of the synthetic durable elastomer, segmented polyurethane, the fabrication technique of electrospinning on a mandrel under a high rotation speed and transverse movement was used. Emphasis was placed on how the rotation speed of the mandrel and the fusion or welding states of fibers at contact points affect the compliance (ease of intraluminal pressure-dependent circumferential inflation) and Young's modulus determined by uniaxial stretching in the longitudinal and circumferential directions. The results showed that a high rotation speed is attributed to exhibit isotropic mechanical properties in the entire range of applied strain but reduces the compliance, and a high fusion state, which is produced using a mixed solvent with a high content of high-boiling-point solvent, reduces the compliance but is expected to exhibit high durability in a continuously loaded pulsatile stress field in an arterial circulatory system.

In vivo tissue-engineered small-caliber arterial graft prosthesis consisting of autologous tissue (biotube).

In this study, vascular-like tubular tissues called biotubes, consisting of autologous tissues, were prepared using in vivo tissue engineering. Their mechanical properties were evaluated for application as a small-caliber artificial vascular prosthesis. The biotubes were prepared by embedding six kinds of polymeric rods [poly(ethylene) (PE), poly(fluoroacetate) (PFA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), segmented poly(urethane) (PU), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and silicone (Si)] as a mold in six subcutaneous pouches in the dorsal skin of New Zealand White rabbits.

Coaxial double-tubular compliant arterial graft prosthesis: time-dependent morphogenesis and compliance changes after implantation.

In order to reduce the compliance mismatch between the native artery and the artificial graft, we have developed a coaxial double-tubular compliant graft, using multiply micropored segmented polyurethane (SPU) thin films, which mimics the relationship between the intraluminal pressure and vessel internal diameter (P-D) of the native artery (termed "J" curve). The graft was coaxially assembled by inserting a high-compliance inner tube with a heparin-immobilized photocured gelatin coating layer into a low-compliance outer tube with a photocured hydrophilic polymer coating layer. Twenty-eight coaxial double-tubular compliant grafts were implanted into the canine common carotid arteries in an end-to-end fashion for up to 12 months.

Pull-out mechanical measurement of tissue-substrate adhesive strength: endothelial cell monolayer sheet formed on a thermoresponsive gelatin layer.

Although adhesive strength of a single cell on substrates has been reported, the adhesive strength at the tissue-substrate interface has not been reported. However, the tissue-substrate adhesive strength must provide important criteria for performance of implant devices. This article deals with the tissue-substrate adhesive strength for fully endothelialized tissue, which was formed on commercial tissue culture dishes with or without a coating layer of thermoresponsive gelatin (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-grafted gelatin, which dissolves in water at room temperature but is precipitated at 37 degrees C).

Compliant design of artificial graft: compliance determination by new digital X-ray imaging system-based method.

The development of an artificial graft requires formulation of biomechanical design criteria. The compliance of artifical grafts, based on the intraluminal pressure-internal diameter (Pi-Di) relationship, was measured by a novel method using a digital X-ray imaging system coupled with an edge detection algorithm and a pressure transducer. The Pi-Di values were obtained from digital angiographic images under continuous inflation of a canine femoral artery anastomosed with an expanded poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (ePTFE) vascular graft as a model vessel with a pressurized contrast medium.