Clip compression model is useful for thoracic spinal cord injuries: histologic and functional correlates.

Study Design: Experimental investigation of an acute thoracic spinal cord injury model in rats involving acute clip compression that simulates human injury.

Objective: To assess the dose-response of this model for the relationship between the force of injury on the rat thoracic spinal cord and histological and functional outcome measures.

Summary Of Background Data: Acute extradural clip compression injury has been a reliable model for producing acute experimental cervical spinal cord injury; however, this model has not been formally evaluated with dose-response curves for acute injury of the thoracic spinal cord.

Fast-gelling injectable blend of hyaluronan and methylcellulose for intrathecal, localized delivery to the injured spinal cord.

Strategies for spinal cord injury repair are limited, in part, by poor drug delivery techniques. A novel drug delivery system (DDS) is being developed in our laboratory that can provide localized release of growth factors from an injectable gel. The gel must be fast-gelling, non-cell adhesive, degradable, and biocompatible as an injectable intrathecal DDS.

Particles for multiplexed analysis in solution: detection and identification of striped metallic particles using optical microscopy.

In this report, we present data demonstrating that cylindrical metallic particles, with various submicrometer striping patterns, may be readily distinguished in an optical microscope. Accurate particle identification is discussed relative to synthesis reproducibility and the limitations of optical microscopes. Results from a library of these particles, of which over 100 different striping patterns have been produced, are presented.