Use of Dextran-based Anterograde Cortical Tracers to Assess the Integrity of the Cortical Spinal Tract.

When injected into the motor cortex of rats, anterograde tracers label fibers of the associated descending corticospinal tract (CST) that originate from pyramidal neurons in the tracer-injected cortex. These fibers can be assessed at the level of the spinal cord to determine the integrity of the descending CST and the spatial distribution of axons in the spinal grey matter. Here we provide detailed methods on the minimally invasive stereotaxic injection of anterograde tracers into the forelimb sensorimotor representation in the rat cortex.

Induction of Photothrombotic Stroke in the Sensorimotor Cortex of Rats andPreparation of Tissue for Analysis of Stroke Volume andTopographical Cortical Localization of Ischemic Infarct.

The photothrombotic model of stroke is commonly used in research as it allows the ischemic infarct to be targeted to specific regions of the cortex with high reproducibility and well-defined infarct borders. Unlike other models of stroke, photothrombosis allows the precise size and location of infarct to be tightly controlled with minimal surgical invasion. Photothrombosis is induced when a circulating photosensitive dye is irradiated , resulting in focal disruption of the endothelium, activation of platelets and occlusion of the microvasculature ( Watson , 1985 ; Dietrich , 1987 ; Carmichael, 2005).

Enhancing Spinal Plasticity Amplifies the Benefits of Rehabilitative Training and Improves Recovery from Stroke.

The limited recovery that occurs following stroke happens almost entirely in the first weeks postinjury. Moreover, the efficacy of rehabilitative training is limited beyond this narrow time frame. Sprouting of spared corticospinal tract axons in the contralesional spinal cord makes a significant contribution to sensorimotor recovery, but this structural plasticity is also limited to the first few weeks after stroke.

Response of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to amicoumacin A.

Amicoumacin A exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), hence we sought to uncover its mechanism of action. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis of S. aureus COL in response to amicoumacin A showed alteration in transcription of genes specifying several cellular processes including cell envelope turnover, cross-membrane transport, virulence, metabolism, and general stress response.