Abstract: A location within a patient may be visualized while reducing potential impact on the patient's anatomy. A contrast media may be injected into a location within the patient's vasculature. The location may be viewed fluoroscopically. At least some of the injected contrast media may be recaptured in order to reduce a quantity of contrast media reaching the patient's anatomy.

Abstract: Example medical devices including example cardiac pumps are disclosed. An example percutaneous circulatory support device system includes a blood pump including a pump housing having a distal end region and a proximal end region, a blood inlet positioned along the distal end region, a blood outlet positioned along the proximal end region and a first diaphragm pump positioned within the pump housing. Further, the first diaphragm pump is configured to draw blood into the pump inlet and pump blood out of the blood outlet.

Abstract: An expandable framework for use in a replacement heart valve implant includes a plurality of struts defining a lattice structure with an inflow end, an outflow end, and a plurality of stabilization arches extending downstream from the outflow end. The lattice structure includes a first circumferential row of cells defining a plurality of lower crowns at the inflow end and a second circumferential row of cells defining a plurality of upper crowns at the outflow end, where the cells of the first and second circumferential rows each have a lower point and an upper point. The lower point of at least some of the cells in the second circumferential row is a free point devoid of attachment to any other strut and extends radially outward beyond a radially outer surface of any strut immediately below in an axial direction.

Abstract: A method and system for producing a curvature of a rod of vertebral osteosynthesis material designed to support a vertebral column of a patient is provided. A production unit receives a model defining the curvature of the rod. The curvature of the rod is based on a preoperative X-ray of the vertical column and defined by a simulated correction to be applied to the lumbar segment to be treated, a deduced curved segment representing the curvature of the rod based at least in part on one or more of a lumbar lordosis or a first curvature above a repositioned apex point and the second curvature below the repositioned apex point, and a translated curved segment representative of the deduced curved segment being translated away from a mean line of the vertebral column. The production unit uses computer aided design to produce the rod.

Abstract: Example valve replacement devices and methods of using valve replacement devices are disclosed. An example device includes a framework including a plurality of strut members forming a proximal anchor region. The proximal anchor region includes a plurality of distal crowns and a first connector crown positioned along a distal end of the proximal anchor region. The device further includes a first commissure assembly coupled to the distal end, wherein the first commissure assembly includes a first commissure post, a first connector strut and a second connector strut. The device further includes one or more leaflets mounted at least partly within the framework. Further, the first and second connector struts each include a first end attached to the first commissure post and a second end attached to the first connector crown at a first pivot point. Further, the pivot point is positioned radially outward of the plurality of proximal crowns.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for treating comminuted waste material the method comprising: •a) providing a heating chamber (28) and one or more combustion heating means (40a-f) for heating the contents of the heating chamber (28), the heating chamber (28) having an inlet (21) and an outlet (22), •b) feeding comminuted waste material through the inlet (21) and into the heating chamber (28); •c) heating the comminuted waste material in the heating chamber (28), using the combustion heating means (40a-f), to generate a combustible gas; and •d) supplying at least a portion of the generated combustible gas to the one or more combustion heating means (40a-f) for heating the heating chamber (28).

Abstract: A method and system for producing a curvature of a rod of vertebral osteosynthesis material designed to support a vertebral column of a patient is provided. A production unit receives a model defining the curvature of the rod. The curvature of the rod is based on a preoperative X-ray of the vertical column and defined by a simulated correction to be applied to the lumbar segment to be treated, a deduced curved segment representing the curvature of the rod based at least in part on one or more of a lumbar lordosis or a first curvature above a repositioned apex point and the second curvature below the repositioned apex point, and a translated curved segment representative of the deduced curved segment being translated away from a mean line of the vertebral column. The production unit uses computer aided design to produce the rod.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, the process includes the steps of: a) taking a sagittal preoperative x-ray of the vertebral column of the patient to be treated, extending from the cervical vertebrae to the femoral heads; b) on that x-ray, identifying points on S1, S2, T12 et C7; c) depicting, on the said x-ray, curved segments beginning at the center of the plate of S1 et going to the center of the plate of C7; e) identifying, on that x-ray, the correction(s) to be made to the vertebral column, including the identification of posterior osteotomies to make; f) pivoting portions of said x-ray relative to other portions of that x-ray, according to osteotomies to be made; g) performing, on said x-ray, a displacement of the sagittal curvature segment extending over the vertebral segment to be corrected; h) from a straight vertebral rod (TV), producing the curvature of that rod according to the shape of said sagittal curvature segment in said displacement position.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for treating comminuted waste material the method comprising: •a) heating comminuted waste material in a heating chamber (28) using one or more heating means (40a-f) to generate a combustible gas •b) measuring or determining the temperature in the heating chamber; •c) comparing the measured or determined temperature in the heating chamber (28) with a predetermined temperature range; and •d) adjusting the amount of heat applied by the one or more heating means (40a-f) to the heating chamber (28) to maintain the temperature in the heating chamber within the predetermined temperature range.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, the process includes the steps of: a) taking a sagittal preoperative x-ray of the vertebral column of the patient to be treated, extending from the cervical vertebrae to the femoral heads; b) on that x-ray, identifying points on S1, S2, T12 et C7; c) depicting, on the said x-ray, curved segments beginning at the center of the plate of S1 et going to the center of the plate of C7; e) identifying, on that x-ray, the correction(s) to be made to the vertebral column, including the identification of posterior osteotomies to make; f) pivoting portions of said x-ray relative to other portions of that x-ray, according to osteotomies to be made; g) performing, on said x-ray, a displacement of the sagittal curvature segment extending over the vertebral segment to be corrected; h) from a straight vertebral rod (TV), producing the curvature of that rod according to the shape of said sagittal curvature segment in said displacement position.

Abstract: Technology related to broadcast packet direct memory access (DMA) operations is disclosed. When a network interface controller (NIC) connected to a host computer receives a broadcast packet, it can transmit a request to an agent process running on the host computer for a plurality of destination buffers. In some embodiments, the request to the agent comprises all or part of the packet, or metadata about the packet. In such embodiments, the agent can use the contents of the request to identify services that should receive the packet. Alternatively, the NIC can identify the destination services and can transmit identifiers for the destination services to the agent. The agent can transmit requests for memory buffers to the services and can receive memory location identifiers in response. The agent can transmit the identifiers to the NIC, which can perform multiple DMA operations to write the broadcast packet to the identified memory locations.

Abstract: Provided is napkin folding apparatus for folding a napkin around at least one piece of flatware forming a flatware bundle. The apparatus includes a napkin cartridge for receiving a plurality of napkins, at least one flatware cartridge for receiving a plurality of pieces of flatware, a folding assembly having a deck assembly for receiving one of the plurality of napkins and at least one of the plurality of pieces of flatware, and a rolling assembly for rolling the one of the plurality of napkins and the at least one of the plurality of pieces of flatware into the flatware bundle, a transport assembly including an actuator and a gripper assembly movable by the actuator for transporting the flatware and the flatware bundle, a taping assembly, a first lifting assembly, and at least one second lifting assembly.

Abstract: A method and system for producing a curvature of a rod of vertebral osteosynthesis material designed to support a vertebral column of a patient is provided. A production unit receives a model defining the curvature of the rod. The curvature of the rod is based on a pre-operative X-ray of the vertical column and defined by a simulated correction to be applied to the lumbar segment to be treated, a deduced curved segment representing the curvature of the rod based at least in part on one or more of a lumbar lordosis or a first curvature above a repositioned apex point and the second curvature below the repositioned apex point, and a translated curved segment representative of the deduced curved segment being translated away from a mean line of the vertebral column. The production unit uses computer aided design to produce the rod.

Abstract: The disclosure herein relate to systems, methods, and devices for developing patient-specific spinal treatments, operations, and procedures. In some embodiments, systems, methods, and devices described herein for developing patient-specific spinal treatments, operations, and procedures can comprise an iterative virtuous cycle. The iterative virtuous cycle can further comprise pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative techniques or processes. For example, the iterative virtuous cycle can comprise imaging analysis, case simulation, implant production, case support, data collection, machine learning, and/or predictive modeling. One or more techniques or processes of the iterative virtuous cycle can be repeated.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, the process includes the steps of: a) taking a sagittal preoperative x-ray of the vertebral column of the patient to be treated, extending from the cervical vertebrae to the femoral heads; b) on that x-ray, identifying points on S1, S2, T12 et C7; c) depicting, on the said x-ray, curved segments beginning at the center of the plate of S1 et going to the center of the plate of C7; e) identifying, on that x-ray, the correction(s) to be made to the vertebral column, including the identification of posterior osteotomies to make; f) pivoting portions of said x-ray relative to other portions of that x-ray, according to osteotomies to be made; g) performing, on said x-ray, a displacement of the sagittal curvature segment extending over the vertebral segment to be corrected; h) from a straight vertebral rod (TV), producing the curvature of that rod according to the shape of said sagittal curvature segment in said displacement position.

Abstract: A culture medium is provided which is capable of establishing expanded potential stem cell (EPSC) lines which resemble naïve or ground state ES cells, but are also able to differentiate into placenta trophoblasts and the embryo proper. Methods are provided using the medium for the in vitro conversion and maintenance of cells, including pluripotent cells into EPSCs.

Abstract: A method of maintaining an index of time-series data records held in a data store comprises identifying one or more time-series data records not currently indexed in a binary tree structure and corresponding with a time range, and creating a new leaf node. Start-time and end-time fields of the new leaf node are populated with values encompassing the time range corresponding with identified time-series data records. The binary tree structure is updated such that the new leaf node is added as a first or second child node of a parent node representing a time range encompassing the values of the start-time and end-time fields of the new leaf node. Existence of the new leaf node in the binary tree structure is thereby indicative of existence of the one or more identified time-series data records in the data store.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for treating comminuted waste material the method comprising: •a) heating comminuted waste material in a heating chamber (28) using one or more heating means (40a-f) to generate a combustible gas •b) measuring or determining the temperature in the heating chamber; •c) comparing the measured or determined temperature in the heating chamber ((28) with a predetermined temperature range; and •d) adjusting the amount of heat applied by the one or more heating means (40a-f) to the heating chamber (28) to maintain the temperature in the heating chamber within the predetermined temperature range.

Abstract: A method of treating comminuted waste material, the method comprises: a) feeding comminuted waste material into a heating chamber (28); b) introducing steam into the heating chamber (28); c) contacting the steam and comminuted waste material; d) heating the steam and comminuted waste material to generate a combustible gas; and e) altering or controlling the ratio of steam to comminuted waste material such that the generated combustible gas comprises a target amount (e.g. value or percentage) of a component thereof.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for treating comminuted waste material the method comprising: •a) providing a heating chamber (28) and one or more combustion heating means (40a-f) for heating the contents of the heating chamber (28), the heating chamber (28) having an inlet (21) and an outlet (22), •b) feeding comminuted waste material through the inlet (21) and into the heating chamber (28); •c) heating the comminuted waste material in the heating chamber (28), using the combustion heating means (40a-f), to generate a combustible gas; and •d) supplying at least a portion of the generated combustible gas to the one or more combustion heating means (40a-f) for heating the heating chamber (28).