Wearable and implantable devices require conductive, stretchable and biocompatible materials. However, obtaining composites that simultaneously fulfil these requirements is challenging due to a trade-off between conductivity and stretchability. Here, we report on Ag-Au nanocomposites composed of ultralong gold-coated silver nanowires in an elastomeric block-copolymer matrix. Owing to the high aspect ratio and percolation network of the Ag-Au nanowires, the nanocomposites exhibit an optimized conductivity of 41,850 S cm (maximum of 72,600 S cm). Phase separation in the Ag-Au nanocomposite during the solvent-drying process generates a microstructure that yields an optimized stretchability of 266% (maximum of 840%). The thick gold sheath deposited on the silver nanowire surface prevents oxidation and silver ion leaching, making the composite biocompatible and highly conductive. Using the nanocomposite, we successfully fabricate wearable and implantable soft bioelectronic devices that can be conformally integrated with human skin and swine heart for continuous electrophysiological recording, and electrical and thermal stimulation.

To compare accuracy, precision, and reproducibility of four commonly used myocardial T1 mapping sequences: modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI), shortened MOLLI (ShMOLLI), saturation recovery single-shot acquisition (SASHA), and saturation pulse prepared heart rate independent inversion recovery (SAPPHIRE). Materials andMethods:This HIPAA-compliant study was approved by the institutional review board. All subjects provided written informed consent. Accuracy, precision, and reproducibility of the four T1 mapping sequences were first compared in phantom experiments. In vivo analysis was performed in seven healthy subjects (mean age 6 standard deviation, 38 years 6 19; four men, three women) who were imaged twice on two separate days. In vivo reproducibility of native T1 mapping and extracellular volume (ECV) were measured. Differences between the sequences were assessed by using Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon rank sum tests (phantom data) and mixed-effect models (in vivo data). Results:T1 mapping accuracy in phantoms was lower with ShMOLLI (62 msec) and MOLLI (44 msec) than with SASHA (13 msec; P , .05) and SAPPHIRE (12 msec; P , .05). MOLLI had similar precision to ShMOLLI (4.0 msec vs 5.6 msec; P = .07) but higher precision than SAPPHIRE (6.8 msec; P = .002) and SASHA (8.7 msec; P , .001). All sequences had similar reproducibility in phantoms (P = .1). The four sequences had similar in vivo reproducibility for native T1 mapping (~25-50 msec; P . .05) and ECV quantification (~0.01-0.02; P . .05). Conclusion:SASHA and SAPPHIRE yield higher accuracy, lower precision, and similar reproducibility compared with MOLLI and ShMOLLI for T1 measurement. Different sequences yield different ECV values; however, all sequences have similar reproducibility for ECV quantification.q RSNA, 2014

The proposed sequences are insensitive to heart rate variability, yield improved LGE images in the presence of arrhythmias, as well as T1 mapping with shorter scan times.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance image can identify MVP by the same echocardiographic criteria and can identify myocardial fibrosis involving the papillary muscle in MVP patients. Hyperenhancement of papillary muscles on LGE is often present in a subgroup of patients with complex ventricular arrhythmias.

The STONE sequence allows accurate and precise quantification of native myocardial T times with the additional benefit of covering the entire ventricle. Magn Reson Med 74:115-124, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An improved image reconstruction method from undersampled k-space data, “LOw-dimensional-structure Self-learning and Thresholding (LOST),” which utilizes the structure from the underlying image is presented. A low resolution image from the fully-sampled k-space center is reconstructed to learn image patches of similar anatomical characteristics. These patches are arranged into “similarity clusters,” which are subsequently processed for de-aliasing and artifact removal, using underlying low-dimensional properties. The efficacy of the proposed method in scan time reduction was assessed in a pilot coronary MRI study. Initially, in a retrospective study on 10 healthy adult subjects, we evaluated retrospective undersampling and reconstruction using LOST, wavelet-based l1-norm minimization and total variation compressed-sensing (CS). Quantitative measures of vessel sharpness and mean square error, and qualitative image scores were used to compare reconstruction for rates of 2, 3 and 4. Subsequently, in a prospective study, coronary MRI data were acquired using these rates, and LOST-reconstructed images were compared with an accelerated data acquisition using uniform undersampling and sensitivity-encoding (SENSE) reconstruction. Subjective image quality and sharpness data indicate that LOST outperforms the alternative techniques for all rates. The prospective LOST yields images with superior quality compared to SENSE or l1-minimization CS. The proposed LOST technique greatly improves image reconstruction for accelerated coronary MRI acquisitions.

Background— Resveratrol may provide protection against coronary artery disease. We hypothesized that supplemental resveratrol will improve cardiac perfusion in the ischemic territory of swine with hypercholesterolemia and chronic myocardial ischemia. Methods and Results— Yorkshire swine were fed either a normal diet (control, n=7), a hypercholesterolemic diet (HCC, n=7), or a hypercholesterolemic diet with supplemental resveratrol (100 mg/kg/d orally, HCRV, n=7). Four weeks later, an ameroid constrictor was placed on the left circumflex artery. Animals underwent cardiac MRI and coronary angiography 7 weeks later before euthanasia and tissue harvest. Total cholesterol was lowered about 30% in HCRV animals ( P <0.001). Regional wall motion analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in inferolateral function from baseline to 7 weeks in HCC swine ( P =0.04). There was no significant change in regional function in HCRV swine from baseline to 7 weeks ( P =0.32). Tissue blood flow during stress was 2.8-fold greater in HCRV swine when compared with HCC swine ( P =0.04). Endothelium-dependent microvascular relaxation response to Substance P was diminished in HCC swine, which was rescued by resveratrol treatment ( P =0.004). Capillary density (PECAM-1 staining) demonstrated fewer capillaries in both HCC and HCRV swine versus control swine ( P =0.02). Immunoblot analysis demonstrated significantly greater expression in HCRV versus HCC swine of the following markers of angiogenesis: VEGF ( P =0.002), peNOS (ser1177) ( P =0.04), NFkB ( P =0.004), and pAkt (thr308) ( P =0.001). Conclusions— Supplemental resveratrol attenuates regional wall motion abnormalities, improves myocardial perfusion in the collateral dependent region, preserves endothelium-dependent coronary vessel function, and upregulates markers of angiogenesis associated with the VEGF signaling pathway.

Purpose To develop an improved T2 prepared (T2prep) balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) sequence and signal relaxation curve fitting method for myocardial T2 mapping. Methods Myocardial T2 mapping is commonly performed by acquisition of multiple T2prep bSSFP images and estimating the voxel-wise T2 values using a 2-parameter fit for relaxation. However, a 2-parameter fit model does not take into account the effect of imaging pulses in a bSSFP sequence or other imperfections in T2prep RF pulses, which may decrease the robustness of T2 mapping. Therefore, we propose a novel T2 mapping sequence that incorporates an additional image acquired with saturation preparation, simulating a very long T2prep echo time. This enables the robust estimation of T2 maps using a 3-parameter fit model, which captures the effect of imaging pulses and other imperfections. Phantom imaging is performed to compare the T2 maps generated using the proposed 3-parameter model to the conventional 2-parameter model, as well as a spin echo reference. In-vivo imaging is performed on eight healthy subjects to compare the different fitting models. Results Phantom and in-vivo data show that the T2 values generated by the proposed 3-parameter model fitting do not change with different choices of the T2prep echo times, and are not statistically different than the reference values for the phantom (P = 0.10 with three T2prep echoes). The 2-parameter model exhibits dependence on the choice of T2prep echo times and are significantly different than the reference values (P = 0.01 with three T2prep echoes). Conclusion The proposed imaging sequence in combination with a 3-parameter model allows accurate measurement of myocardial T2 values, which is independent of number and duration of T2prep echo times.