1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program which causes a computer of an information processing apparatus which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space to operate as:
an object control section configured to control movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation section configured to generate an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control section configured to set, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and set, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the object control section switches the virtual object to different virtual objects in the first state and the second state, respectively.
3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein
the different virtual objects are different from each other in at least one of shape, color, and pattern.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 2, wherein
the different virtual objects are a virtual object having a three-dimensional shape in the first state, and a virtual object having a planar shape in the second state.
5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
when the object control section performs switching between the first state and the second state, the virtual camera control section gradually changes the position of the virtual camera between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint.
6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 5, wherein
when the object control section performs switching between the first state and the second state, the virtual camera control section gradually changes the direction of the virtual camera between the direction thereof at the first viewpoint and the direction thereof at the second viewpoint.
7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the image generation section generates, as the image taken from the first viewpoint by the virtual camera, an image obtained by taking a wider region in the virtual space, as compared to an image taken from the second viewpoint by the virtual camera.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint so that the distance between the second viewpoint and the virtual object is shorter than the distance between the first viewpoint and the virtual object.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the object control section controls movement of the virtual object, based on a movement instruction input performed by a user, which instructs movement of the virtual object in the first region and the second region, and
at least one of the switching from the first state to the second state and the switching from the second state to the first state is performed based on a switching instruction input performed by a user, which instructs the switching.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein
the switching instruction input is an input different from the movement instruction input.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the first region and the second region are perpendicular to each other in the virtual space.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the direction of the virtual camera at the second viewpoint so that an amount of change in a leftright direction of the virtual camera with respect to the virtual space is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle, in a case where the position of the virtual camera is switched from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets, in the second state, the second viewpoint based on a moving path along which the virtual object is scheduled to move.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein
the moving path is specified based on the shape of the second region.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein
the moving path is specified based on the shape of a region within a predetermined distance along the second region from the virtual object, the region being included in the second region.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the second viewpoint, based on at least the direction of a surface of a region along which the moving path extends, the region being included in the second region.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein
the virtual camera control section sets the second viewpoint, based on at least the length of the moving path along a region along which the moving path extends, the region being included in the second region.
18. An information processing apparatus which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space, comprising:
an object control section configured to control movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation section configured to generate an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control section configured to set, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and set, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
19. An information processing system which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space, comprising:
an object control section configured to control movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation section configured to generate an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control section configured to set, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and set, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
20. An information processing method performed by a computer of an information processing apparatus which controls display of a virtual object located in a virtual space, the method comprising:
an object control step of controlling movement of the virtual object in a first state and a second state by performing, based on a predetermined condition, switching between the first state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a first region, and the second state in which a region where the virtual object is movable in the virtual space is restricted to a second region different from the first region;
an image generation step of generating an image taken by a virtual camera located in the virtual space; and
a virtual camera control step of setting, in the first state, the position of the virtual camera to a first viewpoint that is a high-angle viewpoint with respect to the first region, and setting, in the second state, the position of the virtual camera to a second viewpoint that is a viewpoint other than the high-angle viewpoint, wherein
the predetermined condition includes a condition different from a condition that the virtual object moves in the region where the virtual object is movable, in at least one of switching from the first state to the second state and switching from the second state to the first state.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A composition comprising a biodegradable triblock copolymer of the structure A-B-A\u2032, wherein:
the A and A\u2032 blocks each independently are hard blocks having a Tg or Tm above body temperature;
the B block is a soft block having a Tg less than the Tg or Tm of the A and A\u2032 blocks;
the A, B and A\u2032 blocks each independently have a polymer number-average molecular weight (Mn) from about 1 kDa to about 500 kDa; and
the A and A\u2032 blocks may be the same or different.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the tensile modulus of the hard A and A\u2032 blocks independently is greater than about 1,000 MPa, and the tensile modulus of the soft B block is less than about 1,000 MPa.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the weight fraction of the A and A\u2032 blocks is from about 1% to about 99% of the triblock copolymer.
4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the A, B and A\u2032 blocks each independently comprise a polymer comprising from one to four different types of monomer, wherein each type of monomer has from about 5 to about 5,000 monomer units.
5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the A and A\u2032 blocks are the same.
6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the A and A\u2032 blocks are different.
7. The composition of claim 1, wherein:
the A and A\u2032 blocks each independently comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA), poly(D,L-lactide), poly(glycolide) (PGA), poly(GA-co-D,L-lactide), poly(GA-co-L-lactide), and any variations in the arrangement of the monomers thereof; and
the B block comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(caprolactone) (PCL), poly(CL-co-GA), poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC), poly(TMC-co-GA), poly(TMC-co-D,L-lactide), poly(TMC-co-L-lactide), poly(TMC-co-CL), poly(TMC-co-D,L-lactide-co-GA), poly(TMC-co-CL-co-GA), poly(dioxanone), poly(TMC-co-dioxanone), poly(dioxanone-co-CL), poly(dioxanone-co-D,L-lactide), poly(dioxanone-co-L-lactide), poly(dioxanone-co-GA), poly(dioxanone-co-D,L-lactide-co-GA), polyketals, and any variations in the arrangement of the monomers thereof.
8. The composition of claim 7, wherein the polyketal polymer of the B block has the structure of
wherein R1 is a poly(caprolactone) diol or a C2-C24 diol of the structure, HO\u2014R1\u2014OH, that contains an optionally substituted aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocycloaliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic group, or a combination thereof, and n is an integer from about 5 to about 5,000.
9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the B block is immiscible with the A and A\u2032 blocks.
10. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one dihydroxyaryl group conjugated to the polymer ends of the triblock copolymer.
11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the at least one dihydroxyaryl group contains a 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl moiety.
12. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one biocompatible moiety.
13. The composition of claim 12, wherein the at least one biocompatible moiety is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene glycol), poly(tetramethylene glycol), polyethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide), \u03b5-caprolactone, \u03b2-butyrolactone, \u03b4-valerolactone, glycolide, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(acrylamide methyl propane sulfonic acid) and salts thereof, poly(styrene sulfonate), sulfonated dextran, polyphosphazenes, poly(orthoesters), poly(tyrosine carbonate), sialic acid, hyaluronic acid or derivatives thereof, copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) with hyaluronic acid or derivatives thereof, heparin, copolymers of polyethylene glycol with heparin, a graft copolymer of poly(L-lysine) and poly(ethylene glycol), and copolymers thereof.
14. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional biologically absorbable polymer.
15. The composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one additional biologically absorbable polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(hydroxyvalerate), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate), poly(caprolactone), poly(lactide-co-glycolide), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(butyleneterephthalate), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(butylene terephthalate)-block-polyethylene-glycol), poly(butyleneterephthalate)-block-poly(ethylene-glycol)-block poly(butyleneterephthalate), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(caprolactone), poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene-glycol), poly(caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene-glycol)-block-poly(caprolactone), and blends thereof.
16. The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one biologically active agent selected from the group consisting of antiproliferative, antineoplastic, antimitotic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, antifibrin, antithrombin, antibiotic, antiallergic and antioxidant substances.
17. The composition of claim 16, wherein the at least one biologically active agent is selected from the group consisting of paclitaxel, docetaxel, estradiol, nitric oxide donors, super oxide dismutases, super oxide dismutase mimics, 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (4-amino-TEMPO), tacrolimus, dexamethasone, rapamycin, rapamycin derivatives, 40-O-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin (everolimus), 40-O-(2-ethoxy)ethyl-rapamycin (biolimus), 40-O-(3-hydroxy)propyl-rapamycin, 40-O-2-(2-hydroxy)ethoxyethyl-rapamycin, 40-O-tetrazole-rapamycin, 40-epi-(N-1-tetrazolyl)-rapamycin (zotarolimus), pimecrolimus, imatinib mesylate, midostaurin, clobetasol, progenitor cell-capturing antibodies, prohealing drugs, prodrugs thereof, co-drugs thereof, and a combination thereof.
18. A coating comprising the composition of claim 1.
19. The coating of claim 18, which has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
20. A coating comprising the composition of claim 10.
21. A coating comprising the composition of claim 12.
22. A coating comprising the composition of claim 14.
23. A coating comprising the composition of claim 16.
24. The coating of claim 23, which has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
25. A coating comprising the composition of claim 17.
26. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 1.
27. The device of claim 26, wherein the material is a coating disposed over the device.
28. The device of claim 27, wherein the coating has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
29. The device of claim 26, which is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
30. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 10.
31. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 12.
32. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 14.
33. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 16.
34. The device of claim 33, wherein the material is a coating disposed over the device.
35. The device of claim 34, wherein the coating has a thickness of \u2266about 10 micron and loses about 100% of its mass within about 12 months.
36. The device of claim 33, which is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
37. The device of claim 36, which is a stent.
38. An implantable device formed of a material comprising the composition of claim 17.
39. A method of preparing the composition of claim 5, comprising:
performing ring-opening polymerization (ROP) with the corresponding monomer(s) of the B block, wherein an initiating compound containing two active end groups is used to initiate ROP with the first monomer of the B block, and wherein the two active end groups on the initiating compound are independently a hydroxyl, amino or thiol group; and
performing ROP with the corresponding monomer(s) of the A and A\u2032 blocks.
40. A method of preparing the composition of claim 6, comprising:
performing ring-opening polymerization (ROP) with the corresponding monomer(s) of the B block, wherein an initiating compound containing one active end group and one protected end group is used to initiate ROP with the first monomer of the B block, and wherein the active end group on the initiating compound is a hydroxyl, amino or thiol group, and the protected end group on the initiating compound is a protected hydroxyl, amino or thiol group;
performing ROP with the corresponding monomer(s) of the A block;
protecting any active group formed at the polymer end of the A block;
deprotecting the protected end group derived from the initiating compound at the polymer end of the B block;
performing ROP with the corresponding monomer(s) of the A\u2032 blocks; and
optionally deprotecting the protected active group at the polymer end of the A block.
41. A method of fabricating an implantable device, comprising forming the device of a material comprising the composition of claim 1.
42. The method of claim 41, comprising depositing the material as a coating over at least a portion of the implantable device.
43. The method of claim 41, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
44. A method of fabricating an implantable device, comprising forming the device of a material comprising the composition of claim 16.
45. The method of claim 44, comprising depositing the material as a coating over at least a portion of the implantable device.
46. The method of claim 44, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
47. A method of treating or preventing a condition or disorder in a patient, comprising implanting in the patient the implantable device of claim 26, wherein the condition or disorder is selected from the group consisting of atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, hemorrhage, vascular dissection, vascular perforation, vascular aneurysm, vulnerable plaque, chronic total occlusion, patent foramen ovale, claudication, anastomotic proliferation of vein and artificial grafts, bile duct obstruction, ureter obstruction and tumor obstruction.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.
49. A method of treating or preventing a condition or disorder in a patient, comprising implanting in the patient the implantable device of claim 33, wherein the condition or disorder is selected from the group consisting of atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, hemorrhage, vascular dissection, vascular perforation, vascular aneurysm, vulnerable plaque, chronic total occlusion, patent foramen ovale, claudication, anastomotic proliferation of vein and artificial grafts, bile duct obstruction, ureter obstruction and tumor obstruction.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein the implantable device is selected from the group consisting of stents, grafts, stent-grafts, catheters, leads and electrodes, clips, shunts, closure devices, and valves.