Abstract: An intraocular pressure (IOP) sensing system may comprise an intraocular pressure sensing implant to be implanted into the eye of a patient for capturing absolute intraocular pressure measurements and an external device for capturing atmospheric pressure measurements. The intraocular pressure sensing implant may be configured to capture an absolute intraocular pressure measurement at an appointed time, and the external device may be configured to capture a plurality of atmospheric pressure measurements around the appointed time.

Abstract: Therapeutic modalities are provided involving the use of specific repertoirs of PRR ligands to ameliorate immune dysregulation in a perioperative period. In effect, innate immune system signaling is provoked in the perioperative period so as to facilitate a targeted immune response following surgery. Subjects may accordingly be treated with immunogenic formulations tailored to a specific target tissue to treat a subject during the perioperative period surrounding surgery to remove a solid tumor, where the target tissue is the site of the tumor or a characteristic site of metastasis for the cancer.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of modulating an immune system in a vertebrate host for the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of infection by a first microbial pathogen in a target tissue, comprising administration at an administration site of an effective amount of an antigenic formulation comprising antigenic determinants specific for a second heterologous microbial pathogen.

Abstract: An apparatus for acoustically detecting the location of a distal end of a tube relative to a body conduit into which the tube is being inserted is provided. The apparatus including a speaker positioned to generate a sound pulse in the tube and a sensor for detecting a sound pulse in the tube at a distal position relative to the speaker, and for generating a signal corresponding to the detected sound pulse.

Abstract: An apparatus for acoustically detecting the location of a distal end of a tube relative to a body conduit into which the tube is being inserted is provided. The apparatus including a speaker positioned to generate a sound pulse in the tube and a sensor for detecting a sound pulse in the tube at a distal position relative to the speaker, and for generating a signal corresponding to the detected sound pulse.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of modulating an immune system in a vertebrate host for the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of infection by a first microbial pathogen in a target tissue, comprising administration at an administration site of an effective amount of an antigenic formulation comprising antigenic determinants specific for a second heterologous microbial pathogen.

Abstract: A drape connector system can be used to join different sections of drape material, such as different sections of compositionally dissimilar drape material. In some examples, a medical drape is formed that includes a first section of drape material, a second section of drape material, and the connector system. The connector system includes a receiving body defining a groove and a locking body insertable into the groove. A portion of the first section of drape material is positioned overlaying the groove, and a portion of the second section of drape material is also positioned overlaying the groove. The locking body is inserted into the groove thereby locking the portion of the first section of drape material and the portion of the second section of drape material in the groove.

Abstract: An apparatus for acoustically detecting the location of a distal end of a tube relative to a body conduit into which the tube is being inserted is provided. The apparatus including a speaker positioned to generate a sound pulse in the tube and a sensor for detecting a sound pulse in the tube at a distal position relative to the speaker, and for generating a signal corresponding to the detected sound pulse.

Abstract: An apparatus for acoustically detecting the location of a distal end of a tube relative to a body conduit into which the tube is being inserted is provided. The apparatus including a speaker positioned to generate a sound pulse in the tube and a sensor for detecting a sound pulse in the tube at a distal position relative to the speaker, and for generating a signal corresponding to the detected sound pulse.

Abstract: The invention provides therapeutic compositions that present an artificial repertoire of mammalian pattern recognition receptor (PRR) agonists, so that the pattern of PRR agonists recapitulates a distinct portion of a PRR agonist signature of a mammalian pathogen. The artificial repertoire of PRR agonists may be formulated together in a therapeutic vehicle for combined presentation to an innate immune cell resident in a target tissue in a mammalian host, and the vehicle adapted to deliver the PRR agonists to the target tissue, so as to modulate an immune response.

Abstract: A modular tulip assembly has a rod receiving tulip and a saddle. The saddle is interlockingly held inside a distal portion of the tulip. The saddle has a locking projection. The tulip has a pair of grooves or recesses. The locking projection is positioned into the proximal tulip groove or recess and holds the saddle in a pre-loaded unlocked state ready to be pushed onto a head of an implanted bone screw. Upon receiving the head of the bone screw, the saddle can be moved distally relative to the tulip to a locked state by moving the locking projection distally into the distal tulip locking groove or recess.

Abstract: The invention provides therapeutic compositions that present an artificial repertoire of mammalian pattern recognition receptor (PRR) agonists, so that the pattern of PRR agonists recapitulates a distinct portion of a PRR agonist signature of a mammalian pathogen. The artificial repertoire of PRR agonists may be formulated together in a therapeutic vehicle for combined presentation to an innate immune cell resident in a target tissue in a mammalian host, and the vehicle adapted to deliver the PRR agonists to the target tissue, so as to modulate an immune response.

Abstract: A modular tulip assembly has a rod receiving tulip and a saddle. The saddle is interlockingly held inside a distal portion of the tulip. The saddle has a locking projection. The tulip has a pair of grooves or recesses. The locking projection is positioned into the proximal tulip groove or recess and holds the saddle in a pre-loaded unlocked state ready to be pushed onto a head of an implanted bone screw. Upon receiving the head of the bone screw, the saddle can be moved distally relative to the tulip to a locked state by moving the locking projection distally into the distal tulip locking groove or recess.

Abstract: A screw extension assembly for use in minimally invasive spinal surgery, the assembly has an inner slotted shaft and an outer shaft, a rod reducer and a removable nut. The combination when assembled is configured to move a spinal fixation rod into a slotted rod receiving spinal implant where it is seated and affixed thereto. The screw extension assembly further has a locking knob rotationally coupled to a proximal end of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft has one or more cam grooves and the locking knob has a pin extending into and guided by said cam groove causing the outer shaft to translate longitudinally upon rotation of the locking knob relative to the inner shaft toward an engaged position locking the deflectable legs in the coupled position to the slotted rod receiving implant.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of modulating an immune system in a vertebrate host for the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of infection by a first microbial pathogen in a target tissue, comprising administration at an administration site of an effective amount of an antigenic formulation comprising antigenic determinants specific for a second heterologous microbial pathogen.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of modulating an immune system in a vertebrate host for the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of infection by a first microbial pathogen in a target tissue, comprising administration at an administration site of an effective amount of an antigenic formulation comprising antigenic determinants specific for a second heterologous microbial pathogen.

Abstract: Therapeutic modalities are provided for targeting adoptive cellular therapies to specific sites of disease, involving the use of specific repertoirs of PRR ligands. In effect, innate immune system signaling is provoked so as to facilitate the homing of adoptive immune cells to sites of disease, for example to the site of a solid tumor.

Abstract: A screw extension assembly for use in minimally invasive spinal surgery, the assembly has an inner slotted shaft and an outer shaft, a rod reducer and a removable nut. The combination when assembled is configured to move a spinal fixation rod into a slotted rod receiving spinal implant where it is seated and affixed thereto. The screw extension assembly further has a locking knob rotationally coupled to a proximal end of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft has one or more cam grooves and the locking knob has a pin extending into and guided by said cam groove causing the outer shaft to translate longitudinally upon rotation of the locking knob relative to the inner shaft toward an engaged position locking the deflectable legs in the coupled position to the slotted rod receiving implant.

Abstract: An apparatus for acoustically detecting the location of a distal end of a tube relative to a body conduit into which the tube is being inserted is provided. The apparatus including a speaker positioned to generate a sound pulse in the tube and a sensor for detecting a sound pulse in the tube at a distal position relative to the speaker, and for generating a signal corresponding to the detected sound pulse.

Abstract: A clip-on reducer tool assembly for seating a spinal fixation rod in a rod receiving implant, the tool assembly has an outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a proximal end with a cylindrical portion having a threaded opening, a first leg extension extending therefrom to a distal end, and a second leg extension joined to the first leg extension at an intermediate location between the distal end and proximal end. The second leg extension extends from the distal end toward the proximal end to a lever end spaced from the cylindrical portion. The leg extensions at the distal end have grasping members to engage an outer surface of a rod receiving implant and a fulcrum proximally located near the intermediate location configured to enlarge the space between the leg extension at the distal end as the lever end is depressed inwardly relative to a longitudinal axis of the outer sleeve.