Abstract: A method of treating an inflammation in a patient is provided. The method includes stimulating, in a patient suffering from inflammation, the patient's vagus nerve with an electrical signal to achieve a therapeutic effect for treating the inflammation. The signal current is 0.4 mA, the pulse width is 250 ?s, the signal frequency is 20 Hz, and the signal on-time is twenty minutes. The method also includes re-stimulating the patient's vagus nerve a second time within 24 hours of the first stimulation. The electrical signal for a first stimulation and the second stimulation are the same.

Abstract: A brain computer interface (BCI) system includes an electroencephalogram (EEG) headset and a computing device communicatively coupled to the EEG headset. The computing device includes a memory, a processor and a display device. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to monitor, using the EEG headset, current extrinsic network activity and current intrinsic network activity of a patient, generate a current depression index based on the relationship between the current extrinsic network activity and the current intrinsic network activity, and display, on the display device, a representation of the relationship between the current depression index and a baseline depression index previously generated for the patient.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of providing security and privacy for a message sender. The method can include a messaging application determining that a messaging interface of the computing device is active and is revealing or about to reveal the electronic message. The messaging application can identify a recipient account of a messaging server system that is associated with the electronic message according to the electronic message or the messaging server system. The messaging application can then monitor a data feed from a sensor of the computing device to detect a biometric pattern that matches against a biometric profile model associated with the recipient account utilizing a biometric recognition process. In response to determining that the detected biometric pattern does not match the biometric profile model associated with the recipient account, the messaging application can activate a privacy shield to prevent content of the electronic message from being revealed.

Abstract: A method of using a catheter assembly for inserting in a fluid filled space in a body includes providing a main body having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is positioned within the fluid filled space. The second end portion is adjusted to extend outwardly from the fluid filled space when the first end portion is positioned within the fluid filled space. A catheter tip is connected to the second end portion of the main body. The catheter tip includes a housing having a cavity defined therein and a rotating element positioned within the fluid filled space. The rotating element is rotated within the cavity of the housing to impart movement of the first end portion of the main body within the fluid filled space.

Abstract: Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of devices, systems, and methods for tracking the positions and orientations of at least one bone screw implanted within a surgical site. The disclosed device includes an extension that includes an extension base configured to couple to the bone screw, a marker arm coupled at one end to the extension base in a hinged arrangement, and an optical marker attached to a free end of the marker arm opposite the hinged attachment. The optical marker includes a pair of lenticular arrays in a coplanar arrangement in which the major axes of the lenticular arrays are mutually perpendicular. Each lenticular array is configured to display different hues at different viewing angles. The disclosed method includes transforming a single image of a surgical site containing at least one bone screw and extension into the global positions of each bone screw based on the pixel positions and hues corresponding to the lenticular arrays of each optical marker.

Abstract: A method for selecting a seed region for use in a seed-based cortical functional mapping method includes providing at least one RSN map of at least one subject, each of the at least one RSN maps comprising a plurality of functional voxels within a brain of each of the at least one subjects, each functional voxel of the plurality of functional voxels associated with a probability of membership in an RSN. A subset of the functional voxels characterizing a contiguous region is selected as the seed region, each functional voxel of the seed region having a probability of membership in the RSN above a threshold value.

Abstract: Computing systems and computer-implemented methods for removing brain stimulation artifacts in neural signals are disclosed. The method makes use of a matching pursuit algorithm to accurately extract the stimulation artifact. The disclosed method removes the stimulation artifact associated with individual stimulation pulses without needing additional information from previous stimulation pulses or other electrodes. The disclosed method is compatible for use with various stimulation frequencies, does not need any filtering, and can recover neural signals almost immediately after stimulation. The disclosed method is compatible for use in has great potential in closed-loop systems used in various neurological diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Abstract: A target location for a therapeutic intervention is determined in a subject with a neurological disorder. The target location is selected within at least one resting state network (RSN) map according to a predetermined criterion for the neurological disorder. The at least one RSN map includes a plurality of functional voxels within a brain of the subject, and each functional voxel of the plurality of functional voxels is associated with a probability of membership in an RSN. Instructions are transmitted to a treatment system that cause operation to be performed on the selected target location.

Abstract: A computing device for use in a system for mapping brain activity of a subject includes a processor. The processor is programmed to select a plurality of measurements of brain activity that is representative of at least one parameter of a brain of the subject during a resting state. Moreover, the processor is programmed to compare at least one data point from each of the measurements with a corresponding data point from a previously acquired data set from at least one other subject. The processor is also programmed to produce at least one map for each of the measurements based on the comparison of the resting state data point and the corresponding previously acquired data point. The processor may also be programmed to categorize the brain activity in a plurality of networks in the brain based on the map.

Abstract: Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of a noninvasive and localized brain liquid biopsy using focused ultrasound. Briefly, therefore, the present disclosure is directed to methods and systems to identify brain lesion or tumor characteristics without the need for a solid brain biopsy.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a variable stiffness catheter. The catheter may include an inner layer forming an inner lumen, a middle layer surrounding the inner layer, and an outer layer surrounding the middle layer. The middle layer may include an annular lumen and a plurality of strings within the annular lumen, and the plurality of strings may be connected to the inner layer. Applying a vacuum and evacuating the annular lumen of the middle layer alters a frictional force between the inner layer and the outer layer and thereby changes the catheter's flexural rigidity.

Abstract: A computing device for use in a system for mapping brain activity of a subject includes a processor. The processor is programmed to select a plurality of measurements of brain activity that is representative of at least one parameter of a brain of the subject during a resting state. Moreover, the processor is programmed to compare at least one data point from each of the measurements with a corresponding data point from a previously acquired data set from at least one other subject. The processor is also programmed to produce at least one map for each of the measurements based on the comparison of the resting state data point and the corresponding previously acquired data point. The processor may also be programmed to categorize the brain activity in a plurality of networks in the brain based on the map.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods of predicting overall survival, monitoring, and selecting treatments for a glioblastoma (GBM) patient. The method of the present disclosure includes obtaining at least one morphometric image from the GBM patient, identifying at least one radiomic biomarker based on the at least one morphometric image, and determining an overall survival value based on the at least one radiomic biomarker.

Abstract: A method for mapping brain function of a subject includes generating a lesion mask using a search light algorithm based on a plurality of anatomical images of the subject. The plurality of anatomical images are registered with atlas images by nonlinear atlas registration using the generated lesion mask to generate a warping map. A plurality of functional images of the subject are resampled using the warping map to generate a functional map, functional connectivity is computed using the functional map and a multi-layer perceptron.

Abstract: A biomarker predictive of a survival outcome of a brain tumor patient is disclosed. The biomarker includes a functional connectivity matrix that includes a plurality of matrix elements. Each matrix element includes a correlation of resting-state fMRI activities of a first and second region of interest from a plurality of regions of interest within the patient's brain. Computing device and systems are disclosed to transform a resting-state fMRI dataset obtained from the patient into the biomarker and to transform the biomarker into a predicted survival outcome using a machine learning model.

Abstract: Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of a noninvasive and localized brain liquid biopsy using focused ultrasound. Briefly, therefore, the present disclosure is directed to methods and systems to identify brain lesion or tumor characteristics without the need for a solid brain biopsy.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for an adjustable catheter system with isovolumetric suction and restoration of fluid for the removal of a thrombus and a method of use thereof. The catheter system includes an inner catheter and an outer sheath surrounding at least a portion of the inner catheter. The inner catheter may include at least three lumina extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the inner catheter, at least one infusion fenestration along the infusion segment, and a distal encapsulation balloon at the distal end. The outer sheath may include at least three lumina extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the outer sheath and a proximal encapsulation balloon at the distal end. The catheter system may further include an agitator for mechanical morcellation of the thrombus.

Abstract: A method for mapping brain function of a subject includes receiving a dataset of resting state fMRI (RS-fMRI) three dimensional (3D) image frames of the subject's brain, and inputting the 3D image frames to a deep learning artificial neural network. For each voxel of each 3D image frame and for each resting state network of a plurality of resting state networks, the deep learning artificial neural network calculates a probability that the voxel belongs to the resting state network. The deep learning artificial neural network is trained beforehand using a plurality of 3D image frames including previously defined resting state networks obtained from a plurality of calibration subjects. The method includes generating one or more functional map of the plurality of resting state networks of the subject's brain using the probabilities calculated by the artificial neural network.

Abstract: A method for mapping brain function of a subject includes generating a lesion mask using a search light algorithm based on a plurality of anatomical images of the subject. The plurality of anatomical images are registered with atlas images by nonlinear atlas registration using the generated lesion mask to generate a warping map. A plurality of functional images of the subject are resampled using the warping map to generate a functional map, functional connectivity is computed using the functional map and a multi-layer perceptron.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of providing security and privacy for a message sender. The method can include a messaging application determining that a messaging interface of the computing device is active and is revealing or about to reveal the electronic message. The messaging application can identify a recipient account of a messaging server system that is associated with the electronic message according to the electronic message or the messaging server system. The messaging application can then monitor a data feed from a sensor of the computing device to detect a biometric pattern that matches against a biometric profile model associated with the recipient account utilizing a biometric recognition process. In response to determining that the detected biometric pattern does not match the biometric profile model associated with the recipient account, the messaging application can activate a privacy shield to prevent content of the electronic message from being revealed.