Abstract: A medical device, including an implantable portion of the medical device, the implantable portion including at least one electrode, wherein the implantable portion is configured to, while implanted in a human, obtain data indicative of wear of the at least one electrode. In an exemplary embodiment, the medical device is a cochlear implant.

Abstract: A composite material may be prepared from a solid polymeric binder and a solid filler by feeding into an extruder the solid polymeric binder at a first feed rate and the solid filler at a second feed rate. The extruder extrudes an extrudate of the solid polymeric binder and solid filler to form the composite material. The composite material has a binder to filler ratio determined by the first feed rate and second feed rate. The solid polymeric binder and solid filler have different densities. Feeding the solid polymeric binder at the first feed rate and the solid filler at the second feed rate distributes the solid filler substantially homogeneously throughout the composite material.

Abstract: A vehicle monitoring device includes a camera or other optical sensor configured to be disposed at a trailing end of a first vehicle system. The camera or other optical sensor is configured to output one or more images or video of a field of view behind the first vehicle system. The monitoring device also includes a controller configured to receive output from one or more sensors and to activate the camera or other optical sensor to output the one or more images or video based on the output from the one or more sensors. The output from the one or more sensors indicates one or more of a change in movement of the first vehicle system, a temperature, an acoustic sound, or movement of a second vehicle system.

Abstract: An auto injector apparatus includes a syringe and an auto injector. The syringe includes a barrel holding a therapeutic fluid including an anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (anti-CGRP) antibody. The syringe also includes a stopper disposed within the barrel and the stopper moves axially within the barrel between a first position and a second position to expel at least some of the therapeutic fluid from the syringe. The auto injector includes a rod that abuts the stopper and an injection spring that drives the rod to apply a dispensing force through the rod to the stopper. The dispensing force includes a first dispensing force of between 20 N and 40 N and a second dispensing force of between 12 N and 20 N. The injection spring initially applies the first dispensing force and then applies the second dispensing force to move the stopper to the second position.

Abstract: A method of adapting an auto injector configured to actuate a prefilled syringe, the auto injector having a biasing member having a spring constant, the prefilled syringe being filled with a volume of therapeutic fluid, the prefilled syringe including a barrel, stopper, and a needle, the stopper having a path of travel, the biasing member arranged to move the stopper along the path of travel. An auto injector having an injection spring adapted to an aged prefilled syringe.

Abstract: An endoscopic imaging device is disclosed. The device includes a body portion configured to be held in a user's hand and an endoscope portion configured to direct light onto a target. At least one excitation light source is configured to excite autofluorescence emissions of tissue cells and fluorescence emissions of induced porphyrins in tissue cells of the target. A white light source is configured to illuminate the surgical margin during white light imaging of the target. The device also includes an imaging sensor and a first optical filter configured to filter optical signals emitted by the target responsive to illumination with excitation light and permit passage of autofluorescence emissions of tissue cells and fluorescence emissions of the induced porphyrins in tissue cells to the imaging sensor.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a body having a first end portion configured to be held in a user's hand and a second end portion configured to direct light onto a surgical margin. The device includes at least one excitation light source configured to excite autofluorescence emissions of tissue cells and fluorescence emissions of induced porphyrins in tissue cells of the surgical margin. A white light source is configured to illuminate the surgical margin during white light imaging of the surgical margin. The device includes an imaging sensor, a first optical filter configured to permit passage of autofluorescence emissions of tissue cells and fluorescence emissions of the induced porphyrins in tissue cells to the imaging sensor, and a second optical filter configured to permit passage of white light emissions of tissues in the surgical margin to the imaging sensor. Systems and methods relate to imaging devices.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and devices for coregistering imaging data to form three-dimensional superimposed images of target such as a tumor or a surgical bed. A three-dimensional map can be generated by projecting infrared radiation at a target area, receiving reflected infrared radiation, and measuring depth of the target area. A three-dimensional white light image can be created from a captured two-dimensional white light image and the three-dimensional map. A three-dimensional fluorescence image can be created from a captured two-dimensional fluorescence image and the three-dimensional map. The three-dimensional white light image and the three-dimensional fluorescence image can be aligned using one or more fiducial markers to form a three-dimensional superimposed image. The superimposed image can be used to excise cancerous tissues, for example, breast tumors. Images can be in the form of videos.

Abstract: A tissue phantom is disclosed. The tissue phantom includes a first portion having the optical properties of healthy tissue and a second portion having the optical properties of cancerous tissue. Additionally, a method of calibrating an optical instrument is disclosed. The method includes illuminating a tissue phantom with excitation light from the optical instrument, detecting optical emissions emitted by the tissue phantom in response to illumination with the excitation light, and calibrating the optical instrument based upon the detected fluorescence.

Abstract: A method of adapting an auto injector configured to actuate a prefilled syringe, the auto injector having a biasing member having a spring constant, the prefilled syringe being filled with a volume of therapeutic fluid, the prefilled syringe including a barrel, stopper, and a needle, the stopper having a path of travel, the biasing member arranged to move the stopper along the path of travel. An auto injector having an injection spring adapted to an aged prefilled syringe.

Abstract: A method of assessing surgical margins is disclosed. The method includes, subsequent to administration of a compound configured to induce emissions of between about 600 nm and about 660 nm in cancerous tissue cells, positioning a distal end of a handheld, white light and fluorescence-based imaging device adjacent to a surgical margin. The method also includes, with the handheld device, substantially simultaneously exciting and detecting autofluorescence emissions of tissue cells and fluorescence emissions of the induced wavelength in tissue cells of the surgical margin. And, based on a presence or an amount of fluorescence emissions of the induced wavelength detected in the tissue cells of the surgical margin, determining whether the surgical margin is substantially free of at least one of precancerous cells, cancerous cells, and satellite lesions. The compound may be a non-activated, non-targeted compound such as ALA.

Abstract: A method of adapting an auto injector configured to actuate a prefilled syringe, the auto injector having a biasing member having a spring constant, the prefilled syringe being filled with a volume of therapeutic fluid, the prefilled syringe including a barrel, stopper, and a needle, the stopper having a path of travel, the biasing member arranged to move the stopper along the path of travel. An auto injector having an injection spring adapted to an aged prefilled syringe.

Abstract: A premix fuel nozzle assembly includes a center body including a sleeve having an inner surface and a pilot premix fuel nozzle assembly that extends axially through the center body within the sleeve and defines a pilot air passage within the center body. The pilot premix fuel nozzle assembly includes a premix tip having a plurality of premix tubes that define premix passages in fluid communication with the pilot air passage. At least one of the premix tubes includes a fuel port. The premix fuel nozzle assembly further includes a pilot fuel flow path that is defined radially between the pilot premix fuel nozzle assembly and the inner surface of the sleeve and a fuel plenum that is at least partially defined between the sleeve inner surface and an outer surface of the premix tip. The fuel ports provide for fluid communication between the fuel plenum and the premix passages.

Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly includes a center body having a pilot air passage and a pilot fuel passage defined therein. A pilot nozzle having a plurality of premix passages is disposed within a downstream end portion of the center body. Each premix passage includes an inlet that is in fluid communication with the pilot air passage, an outlet that is positioned axially downstream from the inlet and a fuel port that is in fluid communication with the pilot fuel passage. An outer sleeve is coaxially aligned with and radially spaced from the center body so as to define an annular passage therebetween. A strut extends radially outwardly from the center body to the outer sleeve. The fuel nozzle assembly further includes an inlet passage that is in fluid communication with the pilot air passage. The inlet passage extends through the outer sleeve, the strut and the center body.

Abstract: A premix fuel nozzle assembly includes a center body, a pilot premix fuel nozzle assembly that extends axially through the center body and that includes a premix tip having a plurality of premix tubes that each defines a premix passage and a fuel port. The premix passage of each premix tube is in fluid communication with the pilot air passage. The premix fuel nozzle assembly further includes a purge air cartridge assembly that extends axially within the pilot air passage. The purge air cartridge assembly includes a feed tube portion and a tip portion that define a purge air passage within the pilot air passage. The tip portion comprises an aft wall that extends at least partially through an opening defined by the premix tip. The aft wall includes a single axially extending orifice that is in fluid communication with the purge air passage.