Abstract: An ultrafast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured to acquire MR signals from a multi-slice volume that is in a steady main magnetic field B0 along a z-direction of a Cartesian xyz coordinate system, using spatial sensitivity parameters of small receiver coils arranged in rings around the volume, using a magnetic field gradient gz along the z-direction, that can be switched on and off and a magnetic field gradient gx that is in the x-direction and that can be switched on and off. MRI signals from a slice relate to the slice position along z, and an excitation 90° pulse and a refocusing 180° pulse, signals for voxels in a y-direction column in a slice relate to position of the column in the gx field, and signals for voxels within a column relate to the xy positions of the plurality of coils.

Abstract: Smart pill bottle caps are provided. In general, a smart pill bottle cap can include a housing. The housing can include a sensor that is configured to monitor one or more characteristics of a pill bottle to which the housing is attached and can include a communication mechanism configured to communicate the one or more characteristics of the pill bottle to an external device. The communicated characteristic(s) of the pill bottle can be used to track usage of pills in the pill bottle, such as a date and time of when a pill was taken and/or a number of pills remaining in the pill bottle. A smart pill bottle cap can also be configured to engage a secondary, standard pill bottle cap that is used with a standard pill bottle.

Abstract: A system or method of authenticating a biometrically protected device without prior enrollment on that device can include one or more processors and memory where the memory includes computer instructions which when executed by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the operations of receiving a biometric reading, obtaining an encrypted biometric template from a server if a biometric template is not locally stored on a biometrically protected device to compare with the biometric reading, decrypting the encrypted biometric template from the server in response to a password to provide a decrypted biometric template, storing the decrypted biometric template locally on the biometrically protected device, and authenticating the biometric reading when the decrypted biometric template matches the biometric reading. The encrypted biometric template was previously uploaded to the server via an alternate biometric device.

Abstract: In general, drug administration devices that communicate with surgical hubs and methods of using drug administration devices that communicate with surgical hubs are provided. In one aspect, a surgical system is provided that in one embodiment includes a drug administration device configured to administer a drug to a patient during performance of a surgical procedure. The drug administration device includes a first communications interface and a first processor configured to cause the first communications interface to transmit data regarding operation of the drug administration device during the performance of the surgical procedure. The surgical system also includes a surgical hub including a second processor and a second communications interface. The second communications interface is configured to receive the transmitted data from the first communications interface during the performance of the surgical procedure.

Abstract: Provided herein are drug administration devices, methods, and systems for adjusting drug delivery to a patient to allow drug dosage to be adjusted based on a variety of different factors influencing the patient during administration of the drug. In one embodiment, a drug administration device or system can have a drug holder with a drug therein to be delivered to a patient, one or more sensors that are configured to gather various data associated with the patient, and at least one processor that can analyze the data gathered by the one or more sensors and adjust delivery of the drug based on the data.

Abstract: An ultrafast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system configured to acquire MR signals from a multi-slice volume that is in a steady main magnetic field B0 along a z-direction of a Cartesian xyz coordinate system, using spatial sensitivity parameters of small receiver coils arranged in rings around the volume, using a magnetic field gradient gz along the z-direction, that can be switched on and off and a magnetic field gradient gx that is in the x-direction and that can be switched on and off. MRI signals from a slice relate to the slice position along z, and an excitation 90° pulse and a refocusing 180° pulse, signals for voxels in a y-direction column in a slice relate to position of the column in the gx field, and signals for voxels within a column relate to the xy positions of the plurality of coils.

Abstract: A system for wireless identification of pharmaceutical products stored in a storage device is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of racks adapted to hold a plurality of pharmaceutical products, wherein each rack comprises one or more apertures; a plurality of remotely readable tags each adapted to be affixed to one or more of the pharmaceutical products, and at least one antenna operatively connected to a reader configured to interrogate the remotely readable tags. The reader is operatively connected to a computerized inventory system that is configured to receive information about each remotely readable tag, and the reader detects a position of each remotely readable tag and associated pharmaceutical product on the plurality of racks.

Abstract: Ensuring user privacy in a publisher-subscriber communications environment. Storing, by a user-identifier mapping server, a user-identity database mapping user identity to subscriber-anonymized user identifier and subscriber identifier for users of said plurality of subscribers. Receiving, by the user-identifier mapping server, an information-request message from a subscriber, the information-request message concerning a notification message from a publisher, the notification message including an anonymized username of a first user of the publisher and wherein the username of the first user is anonymized using the one-way anonymization function. Upon receiving, by the user-identifier mapping server, the information-request message, determining from the user-identity database whether the first user is a user of the subscriber and transmitting a response message to subscriber indicating whether the first user is a user of the subscriber.

Abstract: In general, adaptive responses from smart packaging of drug delivery absorbable adjuncts and methods of using smart packaging of drug delivery absorbable adjuncts are provided.

Abstract: Smart pill bottle caps are provided. In general, a smart pill bottle cap can include a housing. The housing can include a sensor that is configured to monitor one or more characteristics of a pill bottle to which the housing is attached and can include a communication mechanism configured to communicate the one or more characteristics of the pill bottle to an external device. The communicated characteristic(s) of the pill bottle can be used to track usage of pills in the pill bottle, such as a date and time of when a pill was taken and/or a number of pills remaining in the pill bottle. A smart pill bottle cap can also be configured to engage a secondary, standard pill bottle cap that is used with a standard pill bottle.

Abstract: In general, methods, systems, and devices for remote aggregation of data for drug administration devices are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, data indicative of information sensed with a sensor of a drug administration device can be wirelessly transmitted from a drug administration device to a server. The server can use the data to correlate the patients use of the drug with the patients clinical outcome, perform a cost analysis of the patients treatment, determine whether the drug was delivered to the patient in compliance with the patients treatment plan, identify a malfunction in the administration of the drug, determine that additional data is needed from the drug administration device and trigger a request for the additional data to be wirelessly transmitted from the server to the drug administration device, and/or predictively model the patients clinical outcome.

Abstract: In general, systems for administering a dmg are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a dmg administration system includes a dmg administration device configured to communicate with a computer system and at least one sensor configured to obtain sensor data and communicate the sensor data to the drug administration device. The dmg administration device is configured to utilize a first drug dosing scheme when a drug is delivered to a patient, determine a second drug dosing scheme for delivering a drug to the patient dependent on dosing data from the computer system and sensor data collected by the sensor during and/or after the delivery of the first drug according to the first drug dosing scheme, and utilize the second drug dosing scheme when the drug is delivered to the patient.

Abstract: In general, drug administration devices configured to communicate with networks and external devices are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a drug administration device is configured to adjust an operational parameter of the drug administration device based on a data packet formed from drug administration data ancillary data received from networks and/or external devices. In another example embodiment, a drug administration device is configured to scan for and establish communications with at least one external device. In another example embodiment, a method includes assessing whether to update a control program on a drug administration device from a network or external device. In another example embodiment, a system includes a first drug administration device configured to communicate with a second drug administration device to optimize a drug treatment.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to drug administration. In an exemplary embodiment, a system can include a drug administration device configured to dispense a drug to a patient, a monitoring device configured to log a delivery event of drug delivery from the drug administration device into the patient, and a sensor configured to sense a patient parameter following delivery of the drug into the patient. In another exemplary embodiment, a drug administration device can include a drug holder configured to hold a drug, a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense the drug, and a sensor configured to sense a patient parameter, and the drug administration device can be configured to locally activate the drug at a target location in the patient. In another exemplary embodiment, methods, devices, and systems are provided to assess when operation of a drug dispensing mechanism is complete and to confirm whether drug administration was successful.

Abstract: Drug delivery systems and methods are provided for monitoring and/or tracking exposure of a drug to one or more conditions that can affect performance of the drug.

Abstract: A method for providing a user authentication credential comprises a) registering, in a device, at least one reference character, as a first user authentication credential; b) submitting, by the user, to the device, at least one character, as a second user authentication credential; c) retrieving, by the device, each reference character along with a corresponding position within the first user authentication credential; d) comparing, by the device, each submitted character within the second user authentication credential to a corresponding reference character within the first user authentication credential at one and the same position within the second user authentication credential and the first user authentication credential; and e) providing, by the device to the user, if the submitted character does not match the corresponding reference character, an information item for prompting the user to correct the submitted character.

Abstract: An agitator or mixer installed in a solid-liquid-gas/slurry reactor in which gas removal from the slurry and foam destruction is promoted. The reaction mixer includes a vessel and an agitator assembly. The vessel is for containing the solid-liquid-gas mixture and defines two mixing zones within a given volume; a first mixing zone and a second mixing zone located above the first mixing zone. The agitator assembly is positionable within the vessel and comprises a rotatable shaft and a first and second impeller coupled to the shaft. The first axial impeller is locatable within the first mixing zone and is configured to pump the liquid in a downward direction along a vertical axis of rotation. The second impeller is locatable within the second fluxing zone and is configured to pump the liquid in an upward direction along the vertical axis of rotation.

Abstract: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which is given the acronym ULTRA (Unlimited Trains of Radio Acquisitions), allows simultaneous MR signal acquisition from the entire object volume in each of a multitude of very small receiver coils arranged in a 3D array around the imaging volume, except for gradient reversals and/or RF pulses for refocusing spins into echoes. This permits a rate of MR signal acquisition that is greatly increased (e.g., 256 times) compared with known existing techniques, with a full 3D image constructed in as little as 1 millisecond. Furthermore, noise—both audible and electrical—is substantially reduced. Clinical imaging can be completed in seconds or less, with good signal-to-noise ratio; signal-to-noise ratio further increases by reducing or eliminating RF noise due to gradient switching; real-time functional MRI can be on millisecond timescales; high quality imaging of thorax and abdomen can be in a single breath hold; ands; and audible noise and vibration are greatly reduced.

Abstract: A method of playing media content including an advertising period at a playback device. The method includes: storing the media content in the playback device for playback to a user of the playback device; storing an indication of the playback time of the advertising period relative to the playback time of the media content; storing a plurality of candidate adverts for playing in the adverting period of the media content; playing the stored media content to the user; identifying, on playing of the stored media content, a point in time corresponding to the playback time of the advertising period; applying, responsive thereto, playback rules to determine an advert to be played from the candidate adverts; and playing the determined advert at the playback time of the advertising period.

Abstract: A system for wireless identification of pharmaceutical products stored in a storage device is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of racks adapted to hold a plurality of pharmaceutical products, wherein each rack comprises one or more apertures; a plurality of remotely readable tags each adapted to be affixed to one or more of the pharmaceutical products, and at least one antenna operatively connected to a reader configured to interrogate the remotely readable tags. The reader is operatively connected to a computerized inventory system that is configured to receive information about each remotely readable tag, and the reader detects a position of each remotely readable tag and associated pharmaceutical product on the plurality of racks.