Neuroimmune mechanisms of a mouse model of chronic back pain.

Unlabelled: Chronic back pain (CBP) is the leading cause of disability affecting 1 in 10 people worldwide. Symptoms are marked by persistent lower back pain, reduced mobility, and heightened cold sensitivity. Here, we utilize a mouse model of CBP induced by injecting urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), a proinflammatory agent in the fibrinolytic pathway, between the L2/L3 lumbar vertebrae.

Cryptic Genetic Diversity in the Coastal Isopod from the Pacific Ocean.

The isopod sub-order Oniscidea includes over 3,700 species and is known to occur in all terrestrial environments, except those at extreme elevations and polar latitudes. Current estimates of the biodiversity of the Oniscidea may be underestimates, as recent molecular studies have uncovered high levels of cryptic diversity in several taxa in the sub-order. High levels of cryptic diversity have been found in coastal species, species from remote and isolated regions, and species with complex taxonomic histories.