Changes in rat spinal cord gene expression after inflammatory hyperalgesia of the joint and manual therapy.

Context: Mobilization of a joint affects local tissue directly but may also have other effects that are mediated through the central nervous system.

Objective: To identify differential gene expression in the spinal cords of rats with or without inflammatory joint injury after manual therapy or no treatment.

Methods: Rats were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: no injury and no touch (NI/NT), injury and no touch (I/NT), no injury and manual therapy (NI/MT), and injury and manual therapy (I/MT).

The chondrocyte primary cilium.

Unlabelled: The presence and role of primary, or non-motile, cilia on chondrocytes has confused cartilage researchers for decades. Initial explanations attributed a vestigial nature to chondrocyte cilia. Evidence is now emerging that supports the role of the chondrocyte primary cilium as a sensory organelle, in particular, in mechanotransduction and as a compartment for signaling pathways.

Influence of manual therapy on functional mobility after joint injury in a rat model.

Context: Animal models can be used to investigate manual therapy mechanisms, but testing manipulation in animal models is problematic because animals cannot directly report their pain.

Objective: To develop a rat model of inflammatory joint injury to test the efficacy of manual therapy in reducing nociception and restoring function.

Methods: The authors induced acute inflammatory joint injury in rats by injecting carrageenan into the ankle and then measured voluntary running wheel activity in treated and untreated rats.

Differential expression of cancer associated proteins in breast milk based on age at first full term pregnancy.

Background: First full term pregnancy (FFTP) completed at a young age has been linked to low long term breast cancer risk, whereas late FFTP pregnancy age confers high long term risk, compared to nulliparity. Our hypothesis was that proteins linked to breast cancer would be differentially expressed in human milk collected at three time points during lactation based on age at FFTP.

Methods: We analyzed breast milk from 72 lactating women.

Estrogenic environmental chemicals and drugs: mechanisms for effects on the developing male urogenital system.

Development and differentiation of the prostate from the fetal urogenital sinus (UGS) is dependent on androgen action via androgen receptors (AR) in the UGS mesenchyme. Estrogens are not required for prostate differentiation but do act to modulate androgen action. In mice exposure to exogenous estrogen during development results in permanent effects on adult prostate size and function, which is mediated through mesenchymal estrogen receptor (ER) alpha.