Impact of Acoustic Noise Reduction on Patient Experience in Routine Clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Objectives: Acoustic noise emission from MRI scanners is considered a major factor of patient discomfort during routine MRI examinations. We prospectively evaluated the impact of acoustic noise reduction using software implementations in routine clinical MRI on subjective patient experience and image quality.

Methods: Two-hundred consecutive patients undergoing one of four MRI examinations (brain, lumbar spine, shoulder, and knee) at a single center were prospectively randomized into two groups at a 1 to 1 ratio: standard MRI examination and MRI examination with acoustic noise reduction.

Tumor-Derived Exosomes Contain microRNAs with Immunological Function: Implications for a Novel Immunosuppression Mechanism.

Tumor-derived vesicles (TDV) have been recently implicated in immunosuppression by transporting specific proteins, including Fas ligand (FasL) and TRAIL, to immune cells. We hypothesized that TDVs carrying miRNAs with immunological function could interfere with the translational machinery of immune cells and lead to TDV-mediated immunosuppression in cancer. We show that TDVs from human tumor cells indeed contain multiple miRNA species with known roles in lymphocyte development and function: hsa-miR-146a, miR-29a, and miR-21.

A micro-liter viscosity and density sensor for the rheological characterization of DNA solutions in the kilo-hertz range.

When measuring the properties of fluids from biological sources, sample volumes in the micro-liter range are often desired as higher volumes may not be available or are very expensive. Miniaturized viscosity and density sensors based on a vibrating cantilever fulfill this requirement. In this paper, the possibility of measuring viscosity and density of DNA solutions at the same time using such a sensor is shown.

Enhanced Aβ(1-40) production in endothelial cells stimulated with fibrillar Aβ(1-42).

Amyloid accumulation in the brain of Alzheimer's patients results from altered processing of the 39- to 43-amino acid amyloid β protein (Aβ). The mechanisms for the elevated amyloid (Aβ(1-42)) are considered to be over-expression of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), enhanced cleavage of APP to Aβ, and decreased clearance of Aβ from the central nervous system (CNS). We report herein studies of Aβ stimulated effects on endothelial cells.

Synthesis and biophysical studies on 35-deoxy amphotericin B methyl ester.

The use of molecular editing in the elucidation of the mechanism of action of amphotericin B is presented. A modular strategy for the synthesis of amphotericin B and its designed analogues is developed, which relies on an efficient gram-scale synthesis of various subunits of amphotericin B. A novel method for the coupling of the mycosamine to the aglycone was identified.

Lipid-induced conformational transition of the amyloid core fragment Abeta(28-35) and its A30G and A30I mutants.

The interaction of the beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) with neuronal membranes could play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies have focused on the interactions of Abeta oligomers to explain the neuronal toxicity accompanying Alzheimer's disease. In our study, we have investigated the role of lipid interactions with soluble Abeta(28-35) (wild-type) and its mutants A30G and A30I in their aggregation and conformational preferences.