Diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging as a non-invasive assessment of extracellular matrix remodeling in lumbar paravertebral muscles of rats with sarcopenia.

Background: Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in skeletal muscle is a significant factor in the development of sarcopenia. This study aims to evaluate changes in ECM remodeling in the lumbar paravertebral muscles of sarcopenic rats using diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) and compare them with histology.

Methods: Twenty 6-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the dexamethasone (DEX) group and the control (CON) group.

An experimental study for quantitative assessment of fatty infiltration and blood flow perfusion in quadriceps muscle of rats using IDEAL-IQ and BOLD-MRI for early diagnosis of sarcopenia.

Background: Severe sarcopenia may result in severe disability. Early diagnosis is currently the key to enhancing the treatment of sarcopenia, and there is an urgent need for a highly sensitive and dependable tool to evaluate the course of early sarcopenia in clinical practice. This study aims to investigate longitudinally the early diagnosability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based fat infiltration and blood flow perfusion technology in sarcopenia progression.

[Development of Self-assembled Dumbbell-like Fe3O4 Micro/nanomaterial for Application in Thermocatalytic Degradation of Polybrominated Biphenyls].

Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) are a group of new persistent organic pollutants, which have high toxicity and long-term bioaccumulation, and cause potential risks to human beings and aquatic ecosystem. Self-assembled dumbbell-like Fe3O4 was synthesized via ethylene-glycol mediated method to degrade PBBs, using BB209 as a model compound. The results showed that the growth process of dumbbell-like Fe3O4 precursor had two stages involving a fast nucleation of amorphous primary particles followed by a slow aggregation and crystallization of primary particles.